/>  ' ; 


WATER 

^ '— wV  '2-  -  -  ^  -  .  -ry  '■-  ‘*i  ‘ .. 


*&s?f£pi§»te 

■  ■,  v.  *¥  :  -■*• 


WEST  TROY 

,  NEW  YORK,  U.S.A. 


■'  V  ^V'  ;  "  1;.?  ;  r 

v*  •  sisr  >'%!  ■  .  -*■*;.■  .tfis 


T"  >•:-;• 


1«.V  ii 


vr  - 

\y 

7 r£Ctl NO  IrO  6  V 


CHURCH  BELLS,  PEALS  AND 
CHURCH  BELL  CHIMES 

ALSO  BELLS  LOR  ALL  KNOWN 
USES,  WHICH  ARE  COMPOSED  OL 
THE  HIGHEST  GRADE  OL  GENUINE 
COPPER  AND  TIN  BELL-METAL. 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 

WATERVLIET 

WEST  TROY,  N.Y.,  U.S.A. 


Copyright  by  Meneely  &  Company,  1912. 


THE  FOUNDRY  OF  1826 

(From  an  old  woodcut) 


In  1826  my  grandfather,  Andrew  Meneely,  began  the  manufacture  of  mathematical  and  surveyors’  instruments  and  bells 
in  modest  buildings  which  were  located  on  a  portion  of  the  site  now  occupied  by  our  foundry.  As  the  years  passed,  more  and 
more  attention  was  given  to  the  founding  of  bells,  and  the  manufacture  of  other  articles  was  finally  abandoned. 

Many  of  his  instruments  made  more  than  three-quarters  of  a  century  ago  are  still  in  use  and,  with  the  thousands  of 
bells  of  his  manufacture  that  are  sounding  out  from  church  towers,  bear  witness  to  his  earnest  and  successful  efforts  for 
quality  in  his  products. 

My  father,  Edwin  A.  Meneely,  became  a  partner  in  1850.  and  the  following  year,  after  the  death  of  my  grandfather, 
formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother,  George  R.  Meneely,  as  Andrew  Meneely’s  Sons,  - —  in  1863  as  E.  A.  &  G.  R.  Meneely, 
and  in  1874  as  Meneely  &  Co. 

In  1874  I  began  my  apprenticeship  My  instructors  were  the  best  in  their  respective  lines.  Mr.  George  R.  Meneely  retired 
in  1876,  and  my  father  admitted  me  to  partnership  in  1880.  After  his  death  in  1886  I  assumed  the  oversight  of  the  business 
in  all  its  branches.  In  January,  1908,  a  corporation  was  formed  and  I  now  have  a  most  efficient  corps  of  officers  and  assistants, 
one  of  them  my  eldest  son  (a  Meneely  of  the  fourth  generation  of  bell-founders). 

Those  who  have  preceded  me  have  left  a  most  honorable  record  as  business  men,  and  the  high  reputation  of  their 
products  is  sufficient  evidence  of  their  success  as  manufacturers. 

Between  1890  and  1895  I  made  the  important  discovery  that  the  tone  elements  of  bells  could  be  accurately  and  absolutely 
determined  with  the  aid  of  specially  designed  instruments,  and  that  such  bells,  when  intended  for  musical  sets  (chimes  or 
peals),  could  be  musically  harmonized  in  themselves  and  with  each  other  by  mechanical  processes  and  methods  of  testing, 
thus  obtaining  results  never  attained  before.  What  has  been  accomplished  in  this  class  of  work  has  been  most  highly  com¬ 
plimented  and  particularly  by  many  theoretical  and  practical  musicians  and  tuners  of  national  reputation. 

While  this  is  the  oldest  bell-foundry  in  the  country,  I  believe  that  it  is  the  newest  and  most  modern  in  its  practices, 
mechanical  equipment,  and  scientific  and  special  appliances  necessary  for  the  best  workmanship  and  the  definite  determina¬ 
tion  of  exact  musical  results.  For  myself  and  my  associates  in  the  business  I  can  pledge  that  the  highest  grade  of  bells  and 
fixtures  (and  this  grade  only  and  without  equivocation  of  any  sort  or  kind)  will  be  shipped  from  this  foundry. 

ANDREW  H.  MENEELY. 


THE  FOUNDRY,  ON  THE  ORIGINAL  SITE,  AS  IT  APPEARS  NOW 


ol-Jt 


THE  OLD  MENEELY  FOUNDRY 

ESTABLISHED  A .  D  .  1826  BY  ANDREW  MENEELY 

ANDREW  MENEELY  &  SON,  1850  ANDREW  MENEELY’S  SONS,  1851 

E.  A.  &  G.  R.  MENEELY,  1863  MENEELY  &  CO.,  1874 

WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y.,  U.S.A. 


N  presenting  this  edition  of  our  catalogue  we  would  state  that  the  dis¬ 
tinguishing  characteristic  of  the  Bells  manufactured  at  our  establishment 
consists  of  an  unequaled  combination  of  musical  qualities,  purity  and 
beauty  of  tone  and  power.  Our  patterns  are  designed  from  exact  mathe¬ 
matical  formulas,  and  the  superiority  of  our  bells  is  due,  in  a  very  con¬ 
siderable  degree,  to  the  perfection  of  the  shape.  Being  cast  with  the  aid  of  improved 
mechanical  appliances,  we  are  enabled  to  secure  the  desired  tones  with  uniformity  and 
success,  and  to  supply  bells  we  consider  to  be,  in  all  respects,  unrivaled. 

Genuine  bell-metal  is  a  mixture  of  copper  and  tin  of  such  proportionate  parts  as  to 
most  perfectly  assimilate,  the  superiority  of  which  as  a  sonorous  metal  has  been  demon¬ 
strated  by  centuries  of  use  as  well  as  by  the  results  of  comparative  tests  instituted  under 
government  direction.  All  the  bells  we  furnish  are  manufactured  from  our  special  mixture 
of  most  carefully  selected  copper  and  best  imported  tin,  and  the  materials  we  use  will 
always  be  found  to  be  exactly  as  specified  in  the  guaranties  we  issue  from  time  to  time; 
we  are  perfectly  willing  to  furnish,  at  any  time,  an  affidavit  covering  all  we  claim  in  the 
said  guaranties.  We  do  not  pretend  to  be  able  to  compete  in  price  with  bells  manu¬ 
factured  from  any  of  the  poorer,  cheaper  and  brittle  brands  of  copper,  all  of  which  will 
allow  of  the  use  of  but  a  small  percentage  of  tin  (the  more  expensive  of  the  two  metals)  ; 
neither  can  such  bells  compete  with  ours  in  the  qualities  that  distinguish  the  best  bells 
from  those  that  are  inferior. 

Next  in  importance  to  the  quality  of  the  bell  is  the  adaptation  and  security  of  the 
apparatus  with  which  it  is  mounted,  the  construction  of  which  should  contemplate  not 
only  the  mere  idea  of  making  the  bell  to  sound,  but  also  of  effectively  bringing  out  its 
whole  sound  with  the  least  required  labor  in  ringing;  of  rotating  it  with  facility  upon 
its  vertical  axis  so  that  at  pleasure  a  new  part  may  be  subjected  to  the  blow  of  the  clapper, 
and  thus  the  liability  of  fracture,  through  long-continued  ringing  in  one  position,  be 


4 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


avoided ;  and  finally,  of  persistently  withstanding  the  strain  caused  by  the  momentum 
of  the  bell  as  well  as  the  liability  of  becoming  disordered  through  long  use.  These  char¬ 
acteristics  are  pre-eminently  combined  in  our  Mountings;  while  we  may  say,  particu¬ 
larly,  concerning  our  Rotary  Yoke,  that  it  is,  in  all  respects,  the  most  desirable  and 
perfect  Rotary  Yoke  in  the  world. 

We  have  thousands  of  testimonial  letters  which  cannot  be  published  for  lack  of 
space  and  which  would  make  the  catalogue  too  bulky  for  practical  use,  and  we  are  con¬ 
stantly  receiving  additional  evidences  of  appreciation  regarding  the  quality  and  character 
of  our  work.  As  a  further  evidence  of  the  superiority  of  our  bells  we  may  be  pardoned 
for  the  just  pride  we  have  in  the  knowledge  that  so  many  pleased  purchasers  are  con¬ 
stantly  recommending  our  work  to  others,  thus  demonstrating  what  can  only  be  predi¬ 
cated  of  a  superior  article,  that  one  makes  sale  for  another. 

Our  bells  are  ringing  from  thousands  of  towers  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
while  their  sale  extends  through  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  Newfoundland,  Alaska,  the  West 
Indies,  South  America  and  other  remote  parts  of  the  world. 

In  the  completeness  of  its  facilities  and  equipment  of  appliances  for  turning  out  the 
finest  bells  at  lowest  possible  cost,  our  establishment  stands  without  an  equal,  as  our 
plant  is  both  the  oldest  and  newest  in  outfit,  with  an  accumulated  experience  and  prac¬ 
tical  knowledge  of  Fine  Bell,  Peal  and  Chime  manufacture  unequaled  by  any  others  in 
America.  Our  Peal  and  Chime  work  is  by  far  the  most  perfect  and  satisfactory  in  every 
particular. 

Giving  to  our  business  most  careful  supervision,  and  personally  testing  each  and 
every  bell  before  making  shipment,  we  can  positively  assure  those  desiring  bells  that  the 
high  standard  of  our  work  will  be  maintained,  and,  with  this  understanding,  we  respect¬ 
fully  solicit  a  continuance  of  public  patronage. 

All  communications  should  be  very  carefully  addressed  to  us,  as  follows: — 

MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


NOS.  1531-1541  BROADWAY 

WATER  VLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


D 


CHURCH  BELLS 


FIG.  1 


HE  manufacture  of  Church  Bells, 
as  distinguished  from  bells 
used  for  other  purposes,  con¬ 
stitutes  by  far  the  greatest  part 
of  our  business,  and  the  manu¬ 
facture  of  BELLS  for  whatever  purpose 
utilized  is  OUR  EXCLUSIVE  business. 

Bells  classified  as  Church  Bells  are  also 
used  by  Universities,  Colleges,  Schools, 
Chapels,  Mills,  Town  and  City  Halls,  Court¬ 
houses,  Factories,  etc. 

Church  Bell  Mountings  consist  of  Yoke, 
Wheel,  Stands,  Frame  and  Toller  as  here 
illustrated.  These  are  not  a  part  of  bell 
weight.  They  are  a  separate  charge  at 
prices  given  below  which  must  be  added 
to  the  bell  price.  An  Improved  Stop  is 
included  in  all  such  mountings  for  bells  of 
700  lbs.  and  heavier,  without  extra  charge; 

also  Steel  Roller  Bearings  for  Bells  of 
1  200  lbs.  and  larger. 


BELL 

MOUNTINGS 

Weight 

Medium 

Tone 

Diameter 

Size  of  Frame  Outside 

Diameter  of 
Wheel 

Price  of 
Mountings 

400  lbs. 

E> 

27 

in. 

3  ft. 

6  in.  by  3  ft.  5  in. 

4  ft. 

830 

4.50 

( i 

D 

28 

“ 

3  ft. 

6  in.  by  3  ft.  5  in. 

4  ft. 

30 

500 

i  i 

Db 

29 

4  4 

3  ft. 

6  in.  by  3  ft.  9  in. 

4  ft.  4  in. 

32 

550 

t  l 

C 

30 

4  4 

3  ft. 

6  in.  by  3  ft.  9  in. 

4  ft.  4  in. 

35 

600 

i  < 

C 

31 

4  4 

3  ft. 

6  in.  by  3  ft.  9  in. 

4  ft.  4  in. 

35 

650 

t  ( 

B 

32 

“ 

3  ft. 

6  in.  by  3  ft.  9  in. 

4  ft.  4  in. 

35 

700 

<  < 

B 

33 

44 

4  ft. 

5  in.  by  4  ft.  1  in. 

5  ft.  6  in. 

40 

750 

4  4 

B> 

33 

4  L 

4  ft. 

5  in.  by  4  ft.  1  in. 

5  ft.  6  in. 

40 

800 

4  4 

Bb 

34 

4  4 

4  ft. 

5  in.  by  4  ft.  1  in. 

5  ft.  6  in. 

40 

900 

“ 

A 

36 

4  4 

4  ft. 

5  in.  by  4  ft.  5  in. 

5  ft.  6  in. 

45 

1000 

4  4 

At> 

37 

4  4 

4  ft. 

5  in.  by  4  ft.  5  in. 

5  ft.  6  in. 

45 

1100 

4  4 

Ab 

38 

4  4 

4  ft. 

5  in.  by  4  ft.  5  in. 

5  ft.  6  in. 

45 

1200 

4  4 

G 

39 

4  4 

4  ft. 

10  in.  by  4  ft.  9  in. 

6  ft.  3  in. 

55 

1300 

4  4 

G 

40 

44 

4  ft. 

10  in.  by  4  ft.  9  in. 

6  ft.  3  in. 

55 

1400 

4  4 

Gb 

41 

4  4 

5  ft. 

3  in.  by  5  ft.  0  in. 

6  ft.  3  in. 

70 

1500 

4  i 

F# 

42 

4  4 

5  ft. 

3  in.  by  5  ft.  0  in. 

6  ft.  3  in. 

70 

1600 

4  4 

Fit 

43 

4  4 

5  ft. 

3  in.  by  5  ft.  0  in. 

6  ft.  3  in. 

70 

1700 

4  4 

Fit 

44 

44 

5  ft. 

8  in.  by  5  ft.  5  in. 

7  ft. 

80 

1800 

4  4 

F 

45 

4  4 

5  ft. 

8  in.  by  5  ft.  5  in. 

7  ft. 

80 

2000 

4  4 

F 

46 

4  4 

5  ft. 

8  in.  by  5  ft.  5  in. 

7  ft. 

90 

2100 

4  4 

E 

47 

5  ft. 

8  in.  by  5  ft.  5  in. 

7  ft. 

90 

2300 

4  4 

E 

49 

4  4 

5  ft. 

8  in.  by  5  ft.  7  in. 

7  ft. 

100 

2500 

4  4 

Eb 

50 

4  4 

5  ft. 

8  in.  by  5  ft.  7  in. 

7  ft. 

120 

2800 

4  » 

Eb 

52 

4  4 

6  ft. 

6  in.  by  6  ft.  3  in. 

7  ft.  6  in. 

120 

3000 

4  4 

D 

53 

4  4 

6  ft. 

6  in.  by  6  ft.  3  in. 

7  ft.  6  in. 

130 

3200 

4  4 

D 

54 

4  4 

6  ft. 

6  in.  by  6  ft.  3  in. 

7  ft.  6  in. 

130 

3500 

4  4 

C  # 

56 

4  4 

6  ft. 

6  in.  by  6  ft.  3  in. 

7  ft.  6  in. 

140 

4000 

4  4 

C* 

59 

4  4 

6  ft. 

6  in.  by  6  ft.  3  in. 

8  ft. 

150 

4500 

4  4 

c 

62 

“ 

6  ft. 

9  in.  by  6  ft.  6  in. 

8  ft. 

160 

5000 

4  4 

c 

64 

4  4 

7  ft. 

8  in.  by  7  ft.  4  in. 

8  ft. 

180 

6000 

4  4 

B 

67 

4  4 

7  ft. 

8  in.  by  7  ft.  4  in. 

9  ft. 

200 

6800 

4  4 

Bb 

70 

4  4 

8  ft. 

0  in.  by  7  ft.  8  in. 

9  ft. 

230 

7500 

4  4 

A 

72 

4  4 

8  ft. 

0  in.  by  7  ft.  8  in. 

10  ft. 

260 

MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


6 


If  a  Tower  Clock  is  to  be  installed  with  bell  or  contemplated  a  little  later  on,  then  this  fact 
should  be  stated  when  ordering  bell,  that  we  may  properly  arrange  certain  parts  of  the  mountings 
to  best  accommodate  the  Clock  Hammer,  which  we  do  without  extra  cost.  The  Clock  Hammer 
is  always  a  part  of  the  Tower-Clock  outfit.  Every  curve  in  the  shape  of  a  bell  in  connection  with 
the  proportions  of  thickness,  height,  etc.,  as  to  diameter  has  an  influence  on  the  tone-pitch  and 
musical  richness  and  is  further  influenced  by  the  metallic  composition;  and  we  may  say  without 
fear  of  contradiction  that  much  of  the  existing  objection  to  church  bells  is  due  largely  to  the  simple 
fact  that  many  bell  purchasers  simply  buy  a  “bell,”  regardless  of  REAL  MUSICAL  MERITS, 
at  the  lowest  price  named  them,  instead  of  buying  one  of  the  richest  possible  musical  qualities, 
and  which,  of  course,  cannot  be  furnished  at  cut-rate  price.  The  tones  named  on  preceding  page 
are  termed  “medium”  because  they  are  the  mean  between  the  highest  and  lowest  which  that 
weight  is  capable  of  producing,  and  hence  a  bell  may  have  a  slightly  lower  or  higher  tone  than 
listed  without  detriment  to  its  musical  qualities  or  carrying  power. 

Our  “  Rotary  Yoke”  is  made  of  the  best  machinery  cast  iron,  and  adjusted  to  bell  with  greatest 
care  to  make  the  oscillation  of  the  bell  conform  properly  to  its  weight.  The  smaller  the  bell  the 
more  rapidly  it  moves  and  the  oftener  it  strikes.  The  rotary  feature  of  the  yoke  is  that  it  so  holds 
and  sustains  the  bell  as  to  permit  turning  the  bell  around  vertically  at  any  time  it  is  desired  so  to 
do,  to  cause  the  clapper  to  strike  in  a  new  place,  thus  diminishing  the  liability  of  cracking  the  bell. 

The  Frame,  composed  of  the  four  base  timbers,  in  the  case  of  large  bells,  may  be  readily  un¬ 
jointed  if  necessary  to  get  them  into  tower  and  there  easily  readjusted,  and  upon  this  frame  are 
bolted  the  cast-iron  Stands.  The  Wooden  Wheels  are  composed  of  hardwood  frame,  rims  of  white 
pine,  of  the  best  mechanical  design,  and  will  last  from  thirty  to  eighty  years  with  reasonable  care ; 
the  large  ones  are  so  made  that  they  may  be  taken  apart  (halved)  to  get  into  tower  and  there  again 
joined  in  perfect  order.  The  Tolling  Hammer  is  of  cast  iron  and  works  in  an  adjustable  clevis, 
as  shown  in  the  illustration.  Steel  springs  are  in  all  bells  of  100  lbs.  and  heavier,  to  prevent  clapper 
rattling  against  bell. 

Bell  purchasers  should  bear  in  mind  that  no  bell  will  do  itself  justice  unless  it  is  properly 
mounted.  The  principal  reason  for  going  to  the  expense  and  trouble  of  obtaining  the  sound  from 
a  bell  by  swinging  it  against  its  clapper  instead  of  the  much  easier  method  of  swinging  the  clapper 
against  it,  is  that  the  motion  of  the  bell  imparts  a  pleasing  wave  to  the  tone  which  does  not  exist 
when  it  is  struck  in  a  stationary  position,  and  hence,  while  the  ringing  of  a  bell  has  a  cheerful 
sound,  its  tolling  is  mournful  and  monotonous.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  unless  a  bell  be 
mounted  so  that  it  may  be  swung  properly  and  effectively,  the  full  advantage  to  be  derived 
from  ringing  it  will  not  be  realized,  while  the  sound  produced  may  prove  even  more  undesirable 
than  that  of  tolling. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


SCHOOL  AND  CHAPEL  BELLS 


LLS  thus  classified  range  in 
weight  from  100  to  375  lbs., 
though  the  above  title  does  not 
indicate  the  many  uses  for  which 
these  sizes  are  purchased  - 
Schools,  Chapels,  Colleges,  Academies,  Mills 
and  Factories,  Plantations,  Steamboats  and 
many  others.  They  are  all  mounted  with 
“Rotary  Yoke,’’  to  facilitate  turning  around 
vertically,  exactly  the  same  as  Church  Bells. 

The  Mountings  consist  of  the  Rotary 
Yoke,  Iron  Wheel,  Iron  Stands,  Wood  Frame 
and  Rope  Pulley  (commonly  called  “Sheave”) 
attached  to  side  of  Frame  as  here  shown. 
Steel  Clapper  Springs  are  in  all  these  size 
bells. 


FIG.  2 


BELL 

MOUNTINGS 

Weight 

Diameter 

Size  of  Frame  Outside 

Price  of 
Mountings 

100  lbs. 

17  in. 

29  x  32  in. 

$14 

125  “ 

1834  “ 

30x32  “ 

14 

150  “ 

1934  “ 

30x32  “ 

16 

175  “ 

2034  “ 

32x37  “ 

18 

200  “ 

2134  “ 

32  x  37  44 

20 

225  “ 

22 

32  x  37  44 

22 

250  “ 

23 

36  x  38  44 

24 

300  “ 

2434  “ 

37  x  40  44 

26 

350  “ 

26 

37  x  40  44 

28 

Bells  of  100  up  to  375  lbs.  are 
very  penetrating  in  sound,  and  are 
heard  to  a  distance  apparently  out 
of  all  proportion  to  their  size  or 
weight,  ranging  from  one  to  four 
miles,  according  to  atmospheric  con¬ 
ditions.  Absolutely  the  same  high- 
grade  metals  are  used,  and  same 
composition  as  larger  bells,  and  fully 
guaranteed  to  be  made  with  the  same 
care  and  fidelity. 


IMPORTANT  NOTICE 

In  the  foregoing  tables  of  weights,  tones,  sizes,  etc.,  the  weight  designates  the  pattern;  the 
actual  weight  of  the  bell  when  cast  is  generally  from  one  to  two  per  cent  more  in  the  small  to  me¬ 
dium  sizes.  In  the  larger  sizes  the  actual  weight  is  from  two  to  four  per  cent  more  than  pattern 
weight. 

The  note  named  for  the  respective  sizes  is  the  medium  between  the  highest  and  lowest  prac¬ 
ticable  for  that  weight  in  SINGLE  bells  and  by  concert  pitch. 

The  diameter  named  is  a  part  of  an  inch  more  than  the  pattern  size;  the  bell,  therefore,  is 
actually  somewhat  less  when  cast. 

Please  read  carefully  the  directions  for  ringing  bells  and  placing  them  in  tower  and  the  sug¬ 
gestions  regarding  arrangement  of  bell  rooms,  windows  or  openings  to  let  sound  out,  etc. 


8 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


BELLS  FOR  FIRE-ALARM  AND  TOWER  CLOCKS 


Fire-alarm  Bells  of  small  to  medium  sizes  are 
well  operated  by  hand  power  as  thus  hung.  The 
overhead  timber  A  is  provided  in  building  the  tower 
—  not  a  part  of  our  outfit.  It  should  range  from  6 
to  8  inches  in  thickness  for  bells  from  200  and  up  to 
1,500  lbs. 

It  is  a  very  effective  hand-power  Fire  Alarm 
Striker,  permitting  a  rapid  succession  of  strokes. 


FIG.  6 


In  this  style  of  mounting  a  Fire-alarm  or  Clock 
Bell  the  regular  Church  Bell  Mountings  are  used 
excepting  the  Wheel  and  Toller,  the  bell  being 
held  rigid  by  the  iron  brace. 

This  is  a  most  serviceable  and  reliable  method 
where  no  overhead  beam  has  been  provided,  as  it 
provides  striking  surface  correctly  for  one  or  more 
different  hammers. 


FIG.  12 


In  this  style  the  bell  is  suspended  from 
an  overhead  beam  in  same  manner  as  in 
Fig.  6,  but  the  hand-power  rope  is  attached 
direct  to  bottom  end  of  Clapper,  for  which 
the  “  eye-hole  ”  is  provided,  the  rope  being 
led  to  and  over  a  pulley  at  one  side  of 
belfry.  Any  of  these  styles  of  hanging  bell 
allows  the  use  of  Electric  System  Striker 
or  a  Tower  Clock  Striker  or  both  at  any 
time  and  without  further  expense. 


FIG.  16 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


9 


HINTS  ON  FIRE-ALARM  AND  CLOCK  BELLS 

LLS  used  with  electric  fire-alarm  system  are  struck  on  the  outside  by  hammer  forming 
a  part  of  the  electric  fire-alarm  striker  machine,  the  bell  being  in  most  cases  sus¬ 
pended  as  shown  in  our  Fig.  16  illustration  on  preceding  page.  Due  care  should  be 

exercised  in  setting  such  machines  that  the  hammer  shall  strike  the  bell  at  its  thickest 
part.  A  glance  at  Fig.  6  shows  the  section  of  a  bell,  the  hammer  indicating  the  thickest 
part ;  a  higher  or  lower  stroke  on  the  bell  is  improper  use  and  is  outside  the  line  of  safety. 

Tower-clock  Hammers  are  also  a  part  of  the  clock  outfit  and  should  be  set  so  as  to  strike 
the  bell  at  its  thickest  part  the  same  as  fire-alarm  hammers.  The  timber  to  which  bell  is  sus¬ 
pended  is  part  of  the  tower,  and  should  be  selected  and  placed  when  the  tower  is  being  built; 
it  ought  to  be  of  such  size  and  so  set  in  place  that  it  will  safely  carry  the  proposed  bell  and  afford 
the  best  arrangement  for  the  operation  of  the  Fire-alarm  or  Tower-clock  Hammer.  The  beam 
set  DIAGONALLY,  ends  in  opposite  comers,  is  undoubtedly  the  best  way  to  place  it.  For  bells 
not  exceeding  1,000  lbs.,  such  timber  need  not  be  heavier  than  6"  x  8";  from  1,200  to  2,000  lbs. 
it  should  be  about  8"  x  8";  for  bells  of  2,200  up  to  3,500  lbs.  it  should  be  about  10"  x  10";  and 

for  larger  bells  not  exceeding  5,000  lbs.  it  should  be  about  10"  x  12".  We  have  specified  the  above 

timber  sizes  for  the  respective  weight  bells  so  there  will  be  sufficient  strength  not  only  to  support 
the  bell  but  also  withstand  the  strain  of  the  striking  hammer  of  the  Fire-alarm  Striker  which 
delivers  a  very  powerful  blow. 

Where  no  overhead  beam  has  been  built  in  the  tower  we  recommend  our  Fig.  1  mountings 
complete,  especially  if  the  bell  is  to  be  used  for  such  purposes  as  calling  meetings,  ringing  for  spe¬ 
cial  occasions  and  other  signals.  Or  Fig.  12  can  be  used  and  a  Toller  added  to  call  meetings,  ring 
signals,  etc.,  and  this  method  provides  the  bell  hung  rigidly  to  allow  the  Striker  being  set  at  any 
suitable  point  in  the  belfry.  In  numerous  places  the  best  results  are  obtained  by  having 
SEVERAL  bells,  each  a  different  size  and  located  at  such  places  as  will  provide  the  most 
effectively  heard  alarm.  In  others  one  large  bell  is  used  in  the  tower  of  the  Town  or  City  Hall,  it 
doing  both  fire-alarm  and  clock  duty  Each  community  must  decide  as  to  which  will  likely  serve 
their  purpose  best. 

It  may  be  said  frankly  that  in  general  MUCH  MORE  IS  OFTEN  EXPECTED  from  a 
fire-alarm  bell  than  any  bell  can  do,  as  many  inquiries  come  to  us  asking  price  on  a  bell  that  will 
be  heard  in  any  kind  of  weather,  at  all  hours  and  wake  every  sleeping  fireman  under  the  most 
adverse  conditions,  and  if  it  fails  to  do  that  the  bell  is  blamed  and  called  a  failure.  No  foundry 
can  honestly  claim  to  supply  a  bell  to  do  all  that,  since  it  is  IMPOSSIBLE,  as  any  kind  or  amount 
of  metal,  however  manipulated,  cannot  be  made  to  meet  such  requirements.  Neither  can  two 
bells  of  the  same  size  and  of  same  weight  be  made  to  have  different  tones,  for  to  secure  different 
tones  they  must  be  different  in  size  and  weight.  It  is  also  true  that  a  1,000-lb.  bell  will  be  heard 
almost  as  far  as  one  of  1,500  lbs.,  and  a  2,000-lb.  bell  will  sound  almost  if  not  quite  as  far  as  one 
of  4,000  lbs.  The  various  noises  of  a  locality  as  well  as  the  acoustic  conditions  have  something 
to  do  with  these  things,  and  so  the  selection  of  the  best  possible  fire-alarm  bell  size  for  any  lo¬ 
cality  is  to  some  extent  guesswork  until  the  bell  is  received,  put  up  and  tried,  and  so  the  best  pos¬ 
sible  selection  is,  take  the  largest  that  can  be  reasonably  afforded. 


10 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


LIGHTHOUSE  AND  FOG-SIGNAL 

BELLS 

BELLS  FOR  LIGHTSHIPS,  WARSHIPS, 

CRUISERS,  STEAMBOATS,  BUOYS,  ETC. 

Bells  of  this  class  we  make  to  order  and  with  or  without 
embellishments,  relief  designs  of  historical  or  allegorical 
character.  To  enable  us  to  make  price  intelligently  a  cor¬ 
rectly  drawn  and  clearly  specified  design  of  the  desired  em¬ 
bellishments  should  be  submitted  to  us.  A  carefully  drawn 
design  is  also  required  showing  how  the  bell  is  to  be  hung 
in  place  and  what  kind  of  TOP  the  bell  shall  have  to  fit 
the  Hanger. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


SOME  OF 


THE  KINDS  OF  VESSELS  WE 
SUPPLIED  WITH  BELLS 


HAVE 


The  photograph  of  the  above  plate  is  copyrighted  by 
G.  N.  Harden,  Rockland,  Me. 


The  above  plate  is  from  photo,  used  by  permission  of 
Fore  River  Shipbuilding  Co. 


12 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


OUR  IMPROVED  STOP 

N  many  localities  different  churches  arrange  for  having  their  bells  rung  to  sound  two 
strokes  in  rotation  after  “setting  the  bell,’’  i.e.,  bringing  it  full  mouth  up.  To  thus 
control  it  and  prevent  its  being  turned  entirely  over,  we  furnish  with  all  our  Church 
Bells  of  700  lbs.  and  over  a  “Stop”  attached  to  rim  of  wheel  and  a  corresponding 
one  to  the  frame  below,  which  come  in  contact  when  the  bell  is  about  mouth  up,  and  the 
man  ringing  it  can  thus  easily  hold  it  securely  in  position  and  on  releasing  his  hold  allow  it  to  swing 
back,  and  his  next  pull  brings  it  up  again  against  the  “Stop,”  thus  producing  two  strokes  of  the 
bell  without  its  turning  completely  over.  A  little  careful  practice  of  this  will  soon  yield  excellent 
proficiency. 


INSCRIPTIONS 

Any  suitably  worded  inscription,  of  reasonable  length,  will  be  placed  upon  bells  without  extra 
charge,  as  a  compliment;  also  a  neat  cross  when  desired.  Emblems  or  Relievo  Designs  are  an 
extra  charge  according  to  the  work  of  designing  patterns  of  the  same. 


TOLLING  HAMMERS 


With  bells  of  400  lbs.  and  heavier  for  churches  we  include  in  the  mountings  a  Toller,  shown  in 
Fig.  1,  page  5.  This  is  very  desirable  to  use  for  tolling  at  funerals  and  to  strike  the  Angelus,  or 
for  other  signals.  The  sound  emitted  is,  of  course,  not  so  loud  as  when  swinging  the  bell,  nor  can 
it  be.  This  Toller  is  adjusted  in  a  cast-iron  clevis  and  any  side  blow  may  break  it  off;  hence  its 
rope  should  be  carefully  secured  by  hanging  it  on  a  hook  on  the  wall,  that  it  may  NOT  BE  PULLED 
at  any  time  while  the  bell  is  being  swung,  for  swinging  the  bell  against  it  will  most  likely  break  it 
off,  and  this  cannot  happen  by  regular,  proper  usage. 


CLAPPER  SPRINGS 

These  springs  arc  in  all  bells  mounted  in  either  Fig.  1  or  Fig.  2  style  and  are  held  in  place  by 
a  bolt  or  bolts  passing  up  through  the  top  of  the  bell.  The  spring  arms  are  always  held  in  the 
path  in  which  the  clapper  swings,  allowing  it  to  strike  one  blow  and  then  holding  it  away  so 
that  the  tone  vibration  is  uninterrupted  and  avoiding  clattering  of  the  clapper  upon  the  bell. 
The  spring  ends  are  sheathed  with  leather  to  obviate  the  noise  of  the  contact  of  the  clapper 
against  the  spring,  and  these  leather  pieces  should  be  replaced  by  new  ones  when  necessary. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


13 


OUR  NEW  ROTARY  YOKE 


HIS  Yoke  is  of  entirely  different  construction  from  the  old  non-rotary  fixture  in  use 
many  years  ago,  while  in  respect  to  strength,  efficiency  of  operation  and  adaptation 
to  the  end  in  view,  it  has  advantages  possessed  by  none  other.  By  means  of  this 
yoke  the  bell  may  be  readily  turned  around  vertically,  without  unhanging  it,  to 
cause  the  clapper  to  strike  in  a  new  place,  thus  preventing  its  being  broken  by  long- 
continued  striking  at  one  spot. 

The  yoke  has  a  heavy  flange  fitting  firmly  to  a  corresponding  shoulder  on  the  crown  of  the 
bell.  Inside  the  bell  is  a  clapper  clevis  or  head  through  which,  and  the  steel  springs,  we  pass 
two  to  four  bolts  up  through  the  bell  and  yoke.  As  the  yoke  is  always  at  right  angles  to  the  swing 
of  the  bell  it  is  obvious  that  the  clapper  and  springs,  being  held  by  the  bolts  in  the  yoke,  can¬ 
not  become  displaced,  but  are  always  in  proper  position  no  matter  how  far  one  turns  the  bell. 
The  bell  thus  supported  CANNOT  work  loose,  neither  is  there  any  danger  of  its  falling  if  a  bolt 
should  break.  To  rotate  the  bell  it  is  only  necessary  to  loosen  the  nuts  on  the  several  bolts 
enough  to  release  the  bell  from  contact  with  the  yoke;  then,  taking  hold  of  bell  at  the  edge,  it 
may  be  turned  to  any  desired  position;  then  screw  the  nuts  up  tight  and  the  bell  is  ready  for 
use,  with  the  clapper  striking  in  a  new  place. 

Here  we  may  state  that  there  have  been  many  and  various  designs  in  the  manner  of  hanging 
bells.  From  as  early  as  600  a.d.  up  to  about  fifty  years  ago  these  designs  varied  from  “Loops” 
and  unwieldy  lugs  through  the  stages  of  “Canons”  or  “Horns”  and  some  artistic,  others  hideous 
caricatures  of  dragons,  etc.  Between  1850  and  1860  English  as  well  as  German  founders 
designed  bells  with  FLAT  CROWNS  having  from  six  to  eight  or  more  bolt  holes  through  them. 
In  our  own  foundry  from  1826  to  1866  variously  shaped  “Loops”  or  “Horns”  were  used,  but  the 
bells  could  not  be  rotated.  Then  we  introduced  the  round,  tapering  shank,  a  great  improvement 
over  the  old  way,  but  after  mature  use  of  that  style  it  was  found  faulty,  presenting  several  diffi¬ 
culties,  chief  of  which  was  that  eventually  the  bell  would  be  found  loose  in  the  yoke,  and  the  same 
result  obtains  in  all  others’  yokes  copied  after  that  design  after  ten  to  twenty  years’  service.  We 
then  determined  to  design  a  “ROTARY  YOKE ”  that  would  safely  hold  a  bell  indefinitely  without 
working  loose,  that  would  hold  the  springs  in  proper  position  when  once  inserted  and  would  not 
be  detrimental  to  the  tone  quality  and  resonance.  Our  PRESENT  YOKE  has  effectually 
accomplished  all  these  things  and  has  been  tested  and  tried  in  all  sizes  and  not  failed  us.  We  there¬ 
fore  claim  that  our  yoke  is  the  best  mechanically  designed  “ROTARY  YOKE”  on  the  market. 


14 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


STEEL  ROLLER  BEARINGS 


Steel  Roller  Bearings  are  now  used 
on  all  Bells  from  1  200  pounds  upward. 
Kindly  see  description  below. 


In  Fig.  B  is  illustrated  the  inner  box  holding  the  steel  shaft 
rollers  as  used  in  the  mountings  of  all  our  church  bells  from  1  ,S00  lbs. 
up  to  the  heaviest  sizes  made.  This  box  with  rollers  is  set  within  a 
close-fitting  case  firmly  bolted  to  the  top  of  the  stand.  The  illustra¬ 
tions  are  so  clear  that  further  detailed  explanation  seems  unnecessary. 
Their  mechanical  design  and  adjustment  at  once  show  their  superior 
merits,  among  which  we  may  allude  to  the  fact  that  the  number  of 
rollers  is  such  that  they  will  each  make  a  complete  turn  at  every 
half-swing  of  the  bell,  which  is  not  the  case  on  any  other  make  of 
bell  roller  bearings  in  use.  The  rollers  thus  constantly  remain 
round,  not  worn  off  on  one  section  to  wedge  the  yoke  journal  tightly 
into  place  as  in  numerous  others  we  have  seen.  If  by  any  accident 
or  long-continued  use  it  may  become  necessary  to  take  part  or  all  of  them  out,  or  remove  the  entire 
box  and  bearings,  they  can  readily  be  changed  or  new  ones  inserted  at  a  trifling  expense.  From 
every  point  of  view,  therefore,  it  is  self-evident  that  the  BEST  Roller  Bearing  Bell  Mountings 
are  used  and  supplied  by 


FIG.  B 


THE  OLD  MENEELY  FOUNDRY 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


15 


HOISTING  AND  MOUNTING  BELLS 


T  is  best  to  construct  the  tower  so  the  bell  can 
be  hoisted  up  to  belfry  on  the  inside.  If 
necessary  to  hoist  outside  then  the  illustration 
here  given  will  be  of  service  in  doing  the  work. 

Project  a  stick  of  timber  in  the  manner  shown, 
fasten  securely  in  place  and  attach  suitable  tackle  on  the 
outer  end.  The  hoisting  line  may  be  drawn  upon  inside  or 
outside  the  tower,  according  to  conditions,  by  any  number 
of  men,  by  means  of  a  mechanical  hoisting  apparatus  or  a 
reliable  horse  or  team. 

When  raised  to  sufficient  height  it  is  drawn  in  by  a 
direct  line  or  a  light  tackle.  The  frame,  wheel,  etc.,  should 
be  taken  up  first,  the  frame  set  in  place,  if  practicable,  on  a 
firm,  level  bearing.  While  the  bell  with  yoke  attached  is 
held  suspended,  the  wheel  should  be  attached  and,  if  it  has 
roller  bearings,  they  should  be  properly  placed  on  the  yoke 
journals,  then  the  whole  let  down  carefully  on  the  stands, 
the  wheel  on  the  side  OPPOSITE  to  the  toller.  If  hoisted 
in  from  outside,  a  second  lift  is  necessary  inside  and  then 
adjusted  and  let  down  as  above  described. 

The  several  parts  of  the  outfit  are  carefully  marked  by  us 
before  shipment,  so  that,  if  the  Card  of  Directions  attached 
to  the  frame  be  carefully  carried  out,  any  intelligent  me¬ 
chanic  will  be  able  to  properly  place  and  adjust  every¬ 
thing  complete  in  the  belfry.  When  inserting  the  clapper, 
thoroughly  oil  the  pin-bolt,  that  clapper  may  swing  easily 
and  open  the  split  key  after  insertion.  After  all  is  in  place, 
the  stands  should  be  braced  either  from  sides  of  belfry  or 
wall,  not  too  tightly,  but  just  enough  to  prevent  them  from 
spreading  OUTWARD  and  breaking  off  by  any  accidental 
side  strain.  The  mountings  should  be  examined  occasionally 
and  any  of  the  nuts  found  loose  should  be  screwed  tight. 

The  bearings  should  have  just  a  few  drops  of  oil  at  certain 
intervals,  not  so  much  as  to  gum  things  up,  but  purely  for 
lubrication;  ten  to  fifteen  drops  every  sixty  days  is  sufficient. 

The  wheels,  frames  and  stands  of  bells  not  exceeding  1,600  lbs.  will  almost  invariably  go 
through  the  openings  admitting  the  bell;  in  larger  sizes,  if  necessary,  these  parts  are  so  made 
that  they  may  be  taken  apart  to  pass  them  into  belfry  and  are  then  easily  reassembled. 


SPECIAL  CAUTION 

We  add  this  caution  again,  repeating  that  on  page  12,  viz.:  To  attach  a  hook  to  the  wall 
facing  the  sexton  when  swinging  the  bell,  and  on  this  hook  hang  the  Tolling  Hammer  ROPE 
and  permit  NO  ONE  to  pull  that  rope  while  the  bell  is  being  swung.  If  this  caution  is  neglected 
and  a  pull  on  the  Toller  Rope  be  made  then  the  Toller  Clevis  will  be  broken  off.  Such  breakages 
we  cannot  be  expected  to  make  good  without  charge. 


16 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


BELFRY,  ADJUSTMENT  OF  ROPE,  ETC. 


ERHAPS  the  most  important  items  for  suc¬ 
cess  in  using  a  bell  are  position  of  belfry, 
adjustment  of  ringing  rope  and  “knack” 
of  swinging  it  correctly.  The  best  position 
of  belfry,  except  in  large  cities,  is  just  above 
the  top  of  church  roof;  a  lower  position  is  more  or  less 
detrimental. 

The  windows  should  be  sufficiently  open  to  let  the 
sound  out  freely,  their  base  down  to  belfry  floor  or  nearly 
so,  and  a  roof  or  boarded  ceiling  above  the  bell;  the  floor 
covered  with  either  tin  or  copper,  with  suitable  pitch  to 
drain  water  rapidly. 

For  bells  up  to  650  lbs.  the  rope  may  be  attached  to 
wheel  at  top  between  the  two  upright  spokes,  passed 
down  on  EITHER  side  and  through  the  block  with  two  pulleys  in  it  at  point 
marked  C,  the  rope  being  indicated  by  the  letter  E,  as  this  arrangement 
will  not  dislocate  the  rope  if  the  bell  should  be  turned  over  during  the  ringing. 

For  bells  of  heavier  weight  the  rope  should  be  fastened  at  EITHER  A  or  B, 
carried  on  over  and  down  on  the  other  side  of  wheel,  thence  straight  down  to  the 
ringer,  through  the  several  floors,  in  which  case  no  pulley  block  or  sheaves  are 
necessary,  but  a  piece  of  board  1Y  thick  and  about  6"  wide  by  8"  long  should  have 
a  hole  1|"  diameter  bored  through  it,  the  edge  around  the  hole  smoothed  neatly 
and  such  a  piece  fastened  on  the  several  floors  to  pass  the  rope  through  to  prevent 
chafing.  In  this  method  the  rope  is  carried  down  as  shown  in  illustration,  it  being 
fastened  to  the  wheel  at  A,  just  below  the  central  crossbar.  If  fastened  at  B,  the 
rope  would  go  down  on  the  other  side  from  that  shown  here;  either  side  may  be 
used.  Care  should  be  exercised  that  the  bell  be  not  swung  so  hard  as  to  cause  an 
undue  “bump”  when  the  “Stops”  marked  D-D  come  in  contact,  which  would 
cause  unnecessary  jarring.  The  bell  may  be  held  MOUTH  UP  between  strokes 
by  easily  holding  firmly  against  the  stops  as  shown  in  illustration. 

The  proper  ringing  of  a  bell  is  more  a  matter  of  “knack”  than  strength  and 
is  readily  acquired  by  some  careful  practice  A  few  energetic  pulls  at  the  start 
bring  the  bell  up  in  the  position  shown  and  it  can  then  easily  be  held  as  long  as  desired;  then 
allow  it  to  swing  back  to  its  next  highest  point,  when  another  firm  pull  quickly  made  sends  it  for¬ 
ward  to  and  again  engages  the  Stops.  When  that  knack  is  acquired  the  ringing  of  the  bell  will 
be  a  pleasure  and  easily  done. 

The  ringing  rope  need  not  be  heavier  than  necessary  strength  and  flexibility  require,  as  more 
than  that  will  encumber  the  free  swing  of  the  bell.  No  man  can  pull  down  with  greater  force  than 
his  own  weight  permits;  hence  a  rope  sustaining  double  his  weight  is  ample  for  any  weight  bell, 
but  in  ringing  a  bell  of  considerable  weight  a  light  rope  would  be  difficult  to  grasp  firmly  in  the 
hands.  We  therefore  give  size  of  rope  suitable  for  the  various  size  bells,  viz.: 


For  bells  of  less  than  500  lbs.,  Y  diameter. 
For  bells  of  500  to  800  lbs.,  §"  diameter. 
For  bells  of  900  to  1,500  lbs.,  f"  diameter. 
For  bells  of  1,600  to  3,500  lbs.,  J"  diameter. 
For  bells  of  larger  size  a  rope  of  1"  diameter. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


17 


COPY  OF  OUR  WARRANT 

Printed  on  and  forming  a  part  of  our  Invoice,  properly  dated  and  signed,  as  given  with  all  our 
bells  of  100  lbs.  and  over. 

We  hereby  WARRANT  the  above-named  bell  to  be  free  from  original  defects,  perfect  in 
quality  and  workmanship,  composed  exclusively  of  77  parts  purest  ingot  copper  and  23  parts  best 
imported  block  tin;  of  full,  good,  clear  tone,  and  against  fracture  from  proper  usage  for  FIFTEEN 
(15)  years  from  date  of  shipment.  Should  it  thus  crack  within  that  time  and  prompt  notice  be 
given  us  thereof,  we  hereby  obligate  ourselves  to  promptly  furnish  a  new  one  of  same  weight,  quality 
and  workmanship  in  FREE  exchange  for  cracked  one  —  on  cars  at  Troy  or  Watervliet,  N.Y. 


OLD  COPPER  AND  TIN  BELLS 

Of  memorial  character  or  cherished  for  various  reasons,  we  accept  at  highest  value  on  account 
of  new  ones,  and  when  so  ordered  we  will  incorporate  them  in  the  composition  of  the  new  bells, 
subject  to  the  addition  of  such  new  metals  as  will  in  our  best  judgment  produce  a  strictly  first- 
class  result.  We  constantly  have  use  for  a  limited  quantity  of  old  bells  in  the  manufacture  of  cer¬ 
tain  parts  of  our  bell-mountings,  chime  fixtures  and  other  appurtenances  requiring  a  soft  bronze 
composition,  and  will  pay  a  fair  price  for  such  as  may  be  offered  to  us,  the  quality  being  suitable 
for  our  purposes. 


OUR  SHIPPING  FACILITIES 

Our  city  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  Hudson  River,  at  the  head  of  navigation,  connected  with  the 
city  of  Troy  by  two  great  bridges  and  two  steam  ferries.  Troy  is  the  converging  point  of  several 
great  railroad  systems  and  of  the  Erie,  Champlain  and  new  barge  canals,  thus  affording  superior 
shipping  facilities  to  ALL  POINTS.  The  respective  freight  stations  are  well  within  a  mile  of  our 
foundry,  the  shipping  bills  all  bear  the  printed  heading  “  TROY  ”  and  as  a  result,  in  so  far  as  it 
affects  us,  our  product  has  been  termed  “  Meneely  Bells  ”  and  “  Troy  Bells  ”  by  the  Press  and 
Public  from  1826  to  the  present  time.  We  invariably  secure  the  closest  freight  rate  on  every  ship¬ 
ment  and  send  shipping  bill  promptly  to  our  customer.  To  avoid  errors  in  shipping,  the  purchaser 
should  state  in  the  proper  space  in  the  order  blank  the  correct  name  of  the  station  and  the  trans¬ 
portation  line  on  which  located,  to  which  we  shall  make  shipment. 


18 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


VISITORS  ARE  ALWAYS  WELCOME 


E  arc  frequently  asked  “Where  is  Watervliet?”  and 
to  adequately  answer  the  question  we  here  present  a 
map,  a  little  study  of  which  will  make  its  geograph¬ 
ical  position  clear.  For  many  years  it  was  known 
as  “WEST  TROY,”  but  a  few  years  ago  the  cor¬ 
porate  name  was  changed  to  that  of  “WATERVLIET,”  thus 
making  it  conform  to  that  of  the  great  gun  shops  of  the  U.  S. 

Government,  known  as  the  “  Watervliet  Arsenal,”  here  located. 

We  are  approximately  about  six  miles  north  of  Albany. 

All  B.  &  M.  trains  and  some  D.  &  H.  and  some  N.  Y. 

Central  trains  arrive  at  and  depart  from  Troy  Union  Station. 

Several  D.  &  H.  trains  also  stop  from  the  north  and  south,  at 
their  Watervliet  station,  but  as  it  is  in  the  outskirts  of  our 
city,  some  14  blocks  from  us  and  without  direct  trolley  cars  to 
our  place,  it  is  more  convenient  to  take  D.  &  H.  trains  that 
arrive  at  Troy  Union  Station.  From  there  walk  three  blocks 
westward  to  Third  Street  and  there  board  any  trolley  car 
carrying  sign  reading  “Albany,  Troy,  Watervliet,”  and  in  a 
few  minutes  arrive  at  our  door,  fare  five  cents. 

The  N.  Y.  Central,  Boston  &  Albany,  D.  &  H.,  and  West 
Shore  Railroad  trains  all  arrive  at  Union  Station,  Albany.  The 
same  trolley  cars  above  referred  to  pass  directly  in  front  of  the 
station  at  Albany  and  come  direct  to  our  door,  time  about 
22  minutes,  and  the  fare  from  Albany  is  ten  cents.  From  the 
dock  of  the  People’s  Line  and  Hudson  River  Day  Line  boats 
it  is  only  half  a  block  to  the  same  trolley  cars  above  named. 

The  dock  of  the  Citizens’  Line  boats  at  Troy  is  directly  across  the  river  from  16th  St.,  Watervliet; 
between  these  two  points  plies  the  Troy-West  Troy  Ferry,  indicated  by  the  letter  F,  and  from 
their  landing  to  our  office  is  one  block. 

A  large  portion  of  our  city’s  layout  is  shown  in  this  map  especially  drawn  for  us,  including 

a  portion  of  Troy.  Our  plant  is  indicated  by  the 
arrow  and  letter  M.  D  is  the  Troy  Union  Station, 
L  is  the  D.  &  H.  R.R.  Station.  The  dotted  line  indicates 
the  trolley  cars  route ;  passing  our  door  they  go  north  and 
south.  The  car  bearing  a  BLUE  sign  goes  north  to  19th 
St.  and  crosses  over  to  Troy  via  Congress  St.  Bridge,  on 
to  Third  St.,  and  then  north  to  Bridge  and  River  Sts., 
crossing  westward  to  Watervliet  and  thence  south. 
The  car  bearing  RED  sign  goes  north  to  25th  St., 
and  there  crosses  to  Troy  to  Bridge  and  River  Sts., 
thence  south  via  Third  St.,  and  crosses  westward  to 
Watervliet  via  Congress  St.  Bridge  and  then  south, 
these  cars  thus  making  a  LOOP  between  Watervliet 
and  Troy. 

With  these  maps  and  explanations,  visitors  will 
have  no  difficulty  in  readily  finding  our  place,  and  we 
extend  a  cordial  invitation  to  prospective  bell  pur¬ 
chasers  to  visit  our  foundry,  and  we  shall  be  glad  to 
show  them  through  the  Oldest  Established  yet  the 
NEWEST  and  most  PERFECTLY  EQUIPPED  Bell  Foundry  in  America. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


19 


THE  DISTANCE  BELLS  CAN  BE  HEARD 


^jjOW  far  can  the  bell  be  heard?  This  question  has  been  asked  us  thousands  of  times  by 
purchasers  respecting  the  bell  under  consideration,  and  similar  question  is  asked  by 
every  purchaser  regarding  Peals  and  Chimes.  Regretfully  we  must  say  that  NO  ONE 
can  guarantee  how  far  any  given  weight  of  bell  or  bells  can  be  heard,  as  so  many  seem¬ 
ingly  little  things  vitally  affect  the  desired  result.  The  position  of  the  belfry  in  its 
relation  to  the  roof  of  the  edifice,  the  surrounding  buildings  and  condition  of  the  country,  the 
inside  arrangement  of  the  belfry,  its  windows,  floor,  etc.,  all  and  each  affect  the  result.  At 
times  the  atmospheric  conditions  are  such  as  to  prevent  SOUND-WAVES  rapidly  spreading  to 
any  considerable  distance.  Bell-sounds  are  concussions  disturbing  air-waves  and  are  more  or  less 
musical  in  accordance  with  the  form,  empirical  proportions  and  composition  of  metals  employed 
in  the  manufacture  of  the  bell.  A  multitude  of  experiments  have  been  made  since  bells  have  come 
into  usq,  many  of  them  under  government  direction,  the  bells  being  made  of  many  different  shapes 
and  proportions  and  many  different  metallic  compositions,  to  secure  a  distinct  superiority  of  RESO¬ 
NANT  as  well  as  MUSICAL  qualities,  but  nothing  has  yet  been  discovered  that  will  satisfactorily 
compare  with  bells  made  of  Copper  and  Tin  of  such  respective  parts  as  will  form  the  most  thorough 
amalgam,  and  of  shape  and  proportionate  thickness  as  embodied  in  the  bells  we  manufacture. 
It  is  essential,  therefore,  to  secure,  above  all,  the  best  bell  that  can  be  had,  then  to  properly  prepare 
the  tower  and  belfry,  ring  the  bell  correctly,  and  the  result  will  undoubtedly  be  all  that  can  be  desired. 

In  general  a  bell  will  be  heard  farther  lengthwise  of  a  valley  than  over  the  hills.  On  level 
plains  or  nearly  so,  bell  tones  carry  well,  and  still  better  out  on  or  across  water.  In  cities,  the 
noises  of  steam  and  trolley  cars,  manufacturing  establishments,  carts  and  trucks  rattling  over 
paved  streets,  the  hum  of  the  busy  throngs  passing  to  and  fro,  are  so  great  that  it  is  quite  impos¬ 
sible  to  hear  bells  to  any  great  distance,  nor  is  that  essential,  as  the  people  in  cities  do  not  want 
NOISY  BELLS.  Rich,  musical  bells  are  pleasing  and  delightful  everywhere,  and  the  result  ob¬ 
tained  from  them  as  compared  with  the  harsh,  clangy  quality  tones  of  the  noisy  class,  makes  them 
well  worth  the  difference  in  first  cost.  We  therefore  invite  the  most  thorough  investigation  of  the 
musical,  smooth,  velvet-like  tone  quality  of  our  bells,  confidently  believing  that  they  will  be  found 
the  most  satisfying  in  everything  that  makes  a  bell  or  bells  a  lasting  delight. 

Albany  is  six  miles  south  of  us  and  Cohoes  three  miles  north,  with  Troy  just  across  the  Hud¬ 
son  River  on  the  east.  There  are  bells  in  Albany  and  Cohoes  that  weigh  over  4,000  lbs.  each,  some 
as  heavy  as  7,000  lbs.,  but  they  are  NEVER  HEARD  HERE,  because  there  are  so  many  noises 
to  overcome  that  no  bell  is  equal  to  the  emergency.  These  bells,  if  placed  in  a  country  church 
tower  of  moderate  height,  where  there  are  no  noisy  conditions,  would  frequently  be  heard  to  a 
distance  of  EIGHT  or  even  TEN  miles.  The  large  bell  of  22,000  lbs.  which  hung  for  many 
years  in  the  tower  of  the  New  York  City  Hall,  was  heard,  before  it  became  fractured,  on  numerous 
occasions  up  the  Hudson  River  about  thirteen  miles,  in  the  night  when  the  city  was  compara¬ 
tively  quiet,  and  we  may  add,  when  those  who  heard  it  were  far  enough  away  from  the  city  noises. 
Water  is  a  good  conductor  of  sound  and  aided  materially  in  making  the  bell  heard  that  distance. 

Many  persons  suppose  that  a  bell  of  say  2,000  lbs.  will  be  heard  twice  the  distance  of  the  1,000 
lbs.  bell,  but  this  is  a  serious  mistake,  because  the  larger  bell  does  not  possess  anything  like  twice 
the  resonant  surface  of  the  smaller  one.  What  is  gained  and  admired  in  the  larger  bell  is  its  deep, 
majestic,  dignified,  mellow  tone,  impossible  to  secure  in  the  smaller  one,  as  the  size  of  the  bell  ab¬ 
solutely  governs  the  musical  pitch,  the  shape,  proportion  of  its  various  thicknesses,  etc.,  in  com¬ 
bination  with  the  metals  used  controlling  the  quality  of  sound. 

A  bell  of  100  or  200  lbs.,  in  an  open  belfry  on  a  schoolhouse  or  factory  in  the  country,  is  fre¬ 
quently  heard  at  a  long  distance,  out  of  all  proportion,  apparently,  to  one  of  1,000  lbs.  in  a  church 
tower  near  by;  and  instances  of  this  kind  frequently  cause  no  little  comment  in  the  way  of  com¬ 
parison.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  small  bell  has  a  sharp,  shrill,  penetrating  sound  that  must, 


20 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


of  necessity,  be  heard  a  great  deal  farther,  in  proportion  to  its  weight,  than  the  low,  mellow, 
“churchgoing”  sound  of  the  church  bell.  The  same  principle  applies  to  the  whistle  of  a  locomotive, 
and  it  is  heard  a  long  distance  simply  because  its  tone  is  shrill  and  penetrating. 

When  hung  stationary  and  struck  as  for  Fire  Alarm  or  Tower  Clock,  or  tolled  as  for  funerals, 
or  chimed  as  in  playing  tunes,  bells  will  not  and  cannot  be  heard  as  far  as  when  swung,  as  the 
swinging  motion,  throwing  the  mouth  WELL  UP,  not  only  thrusts  the  sound  OUT  as  it  were, 
but  imparts  to  it  a  richness  that  is  not  obtained  by  striking,  tolling  or  in  chiming. 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  LAST  LONGEST 

N  view  of  the  above  trite  saying,  let  us  advise  that  you  do  not  let  eagerness  to  hear 
the  bell  run  away  with  good  judgment,  but  see  to  it  first  that  the  bell  chamber  is 
properly  prepared.  The  belfry  windows  should  be  as  close  to  floor  as  possible,  say 
within  12  inches,  and  be  well  open  to  let  the  sound  out  freely,  and  above  the  top  of 

windows  should  be  a  sort  of  ceiling.  If  there  be  an  opening  up  into  the  spire,  or  two 
feet  or  more  of  room  space  below  the  base  of  the  windows,  either  or  both  would  be  a  “pocket” 

that  would  retain  most  of  the  sound  of  the  bell  or  bells.  Give  the  bells  fair  play  at  the  start.  On 

rare  occasions  some  one  will  write  in  effect  that  the  bell  seems  to  lack  power,  and  in  describing 
the  tower  inform  us  that  the  belfry  floor  is  several  feet  below  the  base  of  the  windows,  louvers  in  the 
windows  very  close  together  and  so  nearly  vertical  that  they  are  practically  closed.  Sometimes 
nothing  over  the  bell  to  prevent  the  sound  being  lost  in  the  spire.  Under  such  conditions  it  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  respective  bells  are  not  heard  any  farther  away.  After  making 
the  corrections  we  suggest  in  such  cases,  the  bells  prove  entirely  satisfactory. 

Edmund  Beckett  Denison,  M.A.,  Q.C.,  of  London,  England,  who  has  made  bells  a  study  for 
forty  years,  and  was  entrusted  by  the  government  with  the  direction  of  the  casting  of  the  West¬ 
minster  and  other  large  bells,  writes  as  follows  in  one  of  his  works  on  bells  and  tower  clocks: 

“Few  persons  appear  to  know  how  much  the  sound  of  bells  is  muffled  and  lost  by  boxing 
them  up  in  small  bell-chambers,  putting  them  below  the  windows,  making  the  windows  them¬ 
selves  too  small,  and  filling  them  up  with  close  louvers. 

“The  bottom-edge  of  one  louver-board  need  never  be  as  low  as  the  top  of  the  one  below  it, 
as  rain  does  not  usually  go  horizontally,  and  no  louvers  will  keep  out  snow,  and  it  is  of  no  conse¬ 
quence  if  a  little  rain  and  snow  do  come  in,  as  the  wood  and  iron  work  are  painted,  and  wet  does 
the  bells  no  harm.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  cover  the  bell-chamber  floor  with  zinc,  laid  so  as  to  send 
off  any  water  in  a  spout. 

“  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  by  no  means  yet  explained,  that  a  wind  hardly  strong  enough  to  move 
a  leaf,  allows  sound  to  be  heard  three  or  four  times  farther  in  the  direction  of  the  wind  than  against 
it,  although  the  velocity  of  sound  is  enormously  greater  than  of  wind  in  the  most  violent  storm.” 

In  another  work  on  bells,  towers,  etc.,  Mr.  Denison  says: 

“Nine  out  of  ten  modern  towers  are  built  as  if  it  was  the  bell  founder’s  business  not  only  to 
cast  the  bells,  but  hang  them,  make  the  towers  large  enough  to  hold  them,  and  to  invent  some 
way  or  other  of  making  the  sound  find  its  way  out  of  the  windows,  wherever  they  are  and  however 
small  they  may  be. 

“  Mr.  Ruskin  also  abuses  close  louvers  on  architectural  grounds,  and  notices  the  grand  effect  of 
the  large,  wide  ones  in  many  foreign  churches.  Ours  are  generally  made  as  if  the  builder  sup¬ 
posed  that  the  bells  would  catch  cold  and  lose  their  voices  if  they  got  wet ;  whereas  bell  metal  is 
perfectly  indifferent  to  it.  A  small  bell  in  an  open  bell-gable  will  often  be  heard  farther  than  one  of 
ten  times  its  weight  shut  up  in  a  tower,  under  the  disadvantages  of  confined  space,  bad  position, 
small  windows,  close  louvers  and  the  bell  chamber  not  ceiled  above  the  windows.” 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


21 


RING  THE  BELL  CORRECTLY 


GREAT  deal  is  to  be  gained  by  ringing  a  bell  properly,  throwing  the  mouth  well  up, 
and  not  lazily  jingling  it.  Sextons  will  require  several  weeks’  practice  before  being 
able  to  ring  a  bell  properly  and  bring  out  its  full  tone.  It  is  not  physical  strength 
that  is  required  so  much  as  getting  “the  knack”  of  catching  the  rope  just  right, 
particularly  on  the  second  “DOWN-PULL.”  Small  bells  are  easily  swung  well 
up.  Those  of  700  to  2,000  lbs.  can  readily  be  brought  MOUTH  UP  by  steadily  pulling  down 
on  the  rope  until  the  “STOPS”  engage,  and  held  there  as  long  as  desired.  For  any  larger  bell 
several  vigorous  DOWN-PULLS  may  be  necessary,  if  the  bell  cannot  be  drawn  up  as  above 
described,  until  the  “STOPS”  meet,  this  being  done  as  follows:  Begin  by  pulling  down  on 
the  rope  as  far  as  possible,  allow  a  back-swing  and  at  the  highest  point  of  the  rope  make  a 
second  vigorous  down-pull  and  repeat  this  operation  until  the  “STOPS”  meet,  when  the  bell  can 
be  held  in  that  position  as  long  as  desired.  When  the  bell  swings  BACK  from  contact  of  the  stops, 
allow  the  rope  to  easily  GLIDE  through  the  hands;  do  not  follow  it  hand  over  hand,  but  let  it 
slide  without  friction  on  the  hands,  keeping  the  arms  extended  diagonally  upward  at  about  60 
degrees  angle,  and  when  the  rope  has  been  drawn  up  as  far  as  the  bell  carries  it,  at  that  instant 
quickly  close  the  hands  tightly,  grip  the  rope  firmly  and  make  the  next  down-pull,  but  make  it 
with  no  greater  force  than  to  just  make  the  “STOPS”  meet  with  a  fair  touch  to  avoid  unneces¬ 
sary  jarring  or  too  great  a  BUMP.  By  carefully  practising  this  method  the  “knack”  of  ringing 
a  bell  correctly  will  soon  be  acquired  and  the  ringing  of  the  bell  be  found  a  pleasurable  exercise 
rather  than  a  laborious  task,  and  what  is  of  greater  importance,  the  rich,  full,  majestic  tone  will 
be  a  pleasure  and  satisfaction  to  all  who  hear  it. 

How  the  bell  shown  in  the  right  of  the  illustration  below  was  rung  we  cannot  say,  for  it  is  one 
made  by  this  foundry  in  1849,  and  somehow  reached  California,  where  a  local  craftsman  fitted  the 

peculiarly  grown  wooden 
Yoke  to  it,  together  with 
the  journal  irons.  It  was 
received  by  us  as  shown  to 
be  recast  into  a  larger  bell. 

The  other  bell  shown 
is  a  Paul  Revere  make  of 
1812,  and  is  peculiar  in  that 
it  is  some  taller  than  the 
proportionate  rule  demands 
according  to  the  diameter, 
hence  appears  to  be  one  of 
experimental  nature. 


22 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


HOW  BELLS  ARE  DESIGNED  AND  CAST 


THOUT  exception,  every  purchaser  of  a  bell  or  bells  is  deeply  interested  in  the  process 
of  manufacture,  and,  with  few  exceptions,  the  same  is  true  of  those  who  are  not  pro¬ 
spective  purchasers.  We  propose,  therefore,  at  this  part  of  this  book,  to  take  the  public 
into  our  confidence  as  far  as  the  peculiarities  and  intricacies  of  the  work  permit,  by 
describing  in  general  how  a  bell  is  designed  and  made,  from  the  first  step  to  the  finished 
bell  as  it  stands  in  the  tower  ready  to  ring.  We  may  say  first  that  no  founder  is  pre¬ 
pared  exactly  to  state  HIS  OWN  PERSONAL  method  of  designing  a  bell  pattern,  nor  is  it  essential 
that  he  should,  since  any  rule  that  yields  a  definite  result  is  sufficient  for  illustration.  It  is  a  curious 
fact,  however,  that  NO  TWO  MAKES  OF  BELLS  IN  THIS  COUNTRY  ARE  EXACTLY 
ALIKE  in  their  shape,  proportions,  thicknesses,  tone  results,  etc.,  and  THEREIN  is  found  the 
reason  for  the  superior  merits  of  THE  REALLY  BEST  BELLS. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  at  this  point  to  discuss  the  merits  of  various  makes,  but  to  simply  give 
an  intelligent  example  of  the  process  of  the  work.  The  method  here  described  in  this  draft  of  the 
pattern  is  almost  identically  the  same  as  first  published  by  Sir  Edmund  Becket-Denison  in  England 
over  half  a  century  ago,  when  the  more  or  less  acrimonious  controversy  was  raging  concerning  the 
now  famous  “Westminster”  (or)  Cambridge  Clock  Chimes. 


THE  PATTERN  DRAFT 

On  the  drafting  table  is  screwed  a  suitable  “Pat¬ 
tern  Board,”  on  which  the  design  is  then  laid  off  in  the 
following  manner,  reference  being  made  to  the  illus¬ 
tration  herewith  as  this  description  is  followed.  The 
vertical  line  C  is  first  drawn  and  then  the  Mouth 
line  at  true  right  angle  to  C.  Whatever  the  diameter 
of  the  bell  shall  be,  it  is  divided  into  24  equal  parts, 
and  thenceforth  the  entire  layout  is  based  on  these 
“parts,”  except  the  thickness  of  metal  at  the  “Sound 
Bow,”  “Waist,”  “Crown,”  and  “Shoulder,”  which 
will  be  made  clear  as  we  proceed.  Six  parts  are  now 
marked  off  on  the  Mouth  line  from  line  C,  and  the 
line  D  is  drawn.  Six  parts  further  and  the  line  E  is 
drawn,  making  the  line  E  12  parts  from  C. 

Next  are  marked  off  14  parts  upward  on  line  D, 
and  there  a  PIN  is  set  at  Y.  Then  14  parts  are  meas¬ 
ured  off  diagonally  upward  and  downward  to  line  E, 
intersecting  it  as  shown,  following  the  broken  lines  A  A, 
and  a  Pin  set  at  each  intersection.  A  strong,  fine 
string  is  secured  to  the  upper  pin  on  line  E,  passed 
over  to  Pin  at  Y,  then  down  to  the  lower  intersection 
on  line  E  at  P  and  fastened  taut.  A  pencil  is  then  set 
at  \  ,  taking  that  pin  out,  and  by  keeping  the  line  taut  and  moving  the  pencil  DOWNWARD  the 
inner  shape  of  the  bell  section  is  drawn,  indicated  by  the  heavy  line  a  a,  to  the  point  called  LIP. 
Next  a  similar  pin  is  set  at  X,  which  is  half  a  part  down  and  3-5  part  OUTWARD  from  Y,  and 
from  that  point  are  measured  off  11  parts  over  to  E,  intersecting  that  line  as  shown  (see  lines  B  B), 
the  string  fastened  as  before,  the  pencil  inserted  at  X,  withdrawing  the  pin  there,  and  by  following 
the  taut  string  downward  the  OL  PER  shape  of  the  bell  is  drawn  from  X  down  to  the  top  of  the 
Sound-Bow  circle,  the  line  b  b  ending  at  H.  A  pair  of  dividers  is  now  used,  and  setting  the  points 
4  parts  apart,  one  point  at  the  point  of  the  LIP  and  the  other  1-3  part  below  the  MOUTH  LINE, 
the  portion  of  a  circle  is  drawn  as  shown  by  SBC.  This  may  leave  a  very  small  space  at  top  of 
the  Sound-Bow  circle  which  can  be  filled  in  by  hand  or  by  any  other  convenient  process. 

I  he  circle  marked  “Sound  Bow”  is  an  imaginary  one  indicating  merely  the  thickest  part  of 
Uie  bell,  which  should  be  1-14  of  the  entire  diameter  at  the  MOUTH  LINE.  That  part  marked 
\\  aist  should  be  HALF  the  thickness  of  the  Sound  Bow,  and  the  part  at  Y  should  be  1-3  the 
thickness  of  the  Sound  Bow.  From  the  point  marked  I  to  the  inner  crown  curve  should  be  17  parts; 
from  I  to  J  the  same  as  the  thickness  at  Y,  and  then  17  parts  from  J  to  the  top  or  OUTER  Crown 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


23 


the  “Pouring”  of  the  molten  metal 
into  the  molds.  On  the  Core  form 
is  first  wrapped  a  layer  of  straw  rope, 
which,  during  the  pouring,  is  com¬ 
pletely  charred  to  ashes,  thus  allow¬ 
ing  the  cooling  mass  to  contract 
without  an  undue  strain  of  the  metal 
and  insuring  a  sound  casting.  All 
our  molds  are  operated  above 
ground  except  the  Copes  for  bells  of 
3,000  lbs.  or  larger,  these  being  set 
somewhat  down  in  a  shallow  pit  for 
the  more  convenient  working  of  the 
Sweeps. 

When  the  mold  for  the  outer 
shape  is  about  finished  and  still  soft, 
the  lettering  of  the  Inscription  de¬ 


sired  is  impressed  into  its  surface,  reading  from 
right  to  left,  this  work  being  shown  in  the  illus¬ 
tration  below  as  is  done  for  all  SINGLE  bells. 
Such  inscriptions  should  be  condensed  into  as 
few  words  as  possible,  because  much  lettering  is 
liable  to  interfere  with  the  tone  vibrations  of 
the  bell.  In  attuned  work,  such  as  PEALS 
and  CHIMES,  the  lettering  is  INVARIABLY 
CHASED  on  the  surface  of  the  bell  after 
it  has  been  fully  tuned,  and  so  in  this  class  of 
work  the  lettering  does  not  appear  in  raised 
characters. 

The  next  view  is  a  peep  in  the  foundry, 
showing  a  number  of  molds  “closed,”  set 
around  in  a  circle  ready  for  the  casting;  they 
are  so  placed  to  accommodate  the  swing  of  the 
great  crane  as  it  carries  the  “Ladle”  contain¬ 
ing  the  molten  metal  which  is  then  “poured” 
into  these  molds.  We  sometimes  have  as 


Curve.  The  inner  crown  curve  is  drawn  over  to  meet  the  line  D.  The  outer 
crown  curve  line  should  be  carried  well  beyond  the  line  D  to  intersect  with  a 
line  drawn  straight  up  from  X.  Where  these  crown  curve  lines  intersect  with 
the  vertical  lines  at  D  and  beyond  there  should  be  a  very  small  circle  drawn 
on  the  inner  side  to  round  off  the  intersections,  which  would  otherwise  meet 
very  sharply.  The  draft  is  now  complete  except  for  the  SHANK,  or  any 
other  suitable  design  there  for  hanging  the  bell,  or  it  may  have  an  OPENING 
THROUGH  THE  TOP  OF  BELL  for  such  a  mechanical  method  of  hang¬ 
ing  the  bell  as  the  designer  may  see  fit  to  use,  as  such  an  opening  in  no  way 
affects  the  sound  or  tone  of  the  bell. 

Two  suitable  boards  are  now  provided,  one  of  them  cut 
to  conform  to  the  draft  of  the  INNER  shape  of  the  bell,  the 
other  to  the  OUTER  shape,  and  when  completed  are  called 
“Sweeps”  or  “Patterns,”  and  when  ready  for  use  appear  as 
shown.  The  iron  molding  forms  are  then  provided  to  conform 
to  these  “Sweeps,”  one  called  the  “Cope,”  the  other  the 
“Core.”  The  OUTER  form  of  the  bell  is  “Swept up” 
IN  the  Cope,  and  the  INNER  form  is  swept  up  ON  the 
Core.  These  iron  forms  are  liberally  perforated  to  make 
the  clay  loam  adhere  more  firmly  and  to  provide  vents  to 
allow  the  gases  to  burn  off  which  are  generated  during 


24 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


many  as  TWENTY  closed  molds  thus  set, 
all  to  be  “poured”  from  one  “HEAT.” 
which  means  ONE  HEATING  OF  THE 
FURNACE,  and  which  may  thus  contain 
from  five  to  eight  tons  of  metal,  and  always  the 
self-same  percentage  of  composition. 

When  the  metal  is  melted  it  is  drawn 
from  the  furnace  into  a  “  Ladle”  at  the  “TAP.” 
We  have  several  such  Ladles  in  use;  the 
smallest,  which  is  of  the  simple  type,  will  con¬ 
tain  2,500  lbs.,  while  the  large,  latest-style 
one  will  contain  full  8,000  lbs.  of  molten 
metal.  The  “Tapping”  of  the  metal  from  the 
furnace  is  done  as  shown  in  the  view  next 
given.  The  clay  plug  is  driven  in,  allowing  the 


metal  to  flow  out  and  into  the  Ladle,  several 
men  standing  by  with  fresh  plugs  on  the  end 
of  suitable  sticks,  and  when  sufficient  is  drawn 
off  the  “Tap”  is  plugged  up  with  one  of  these 
fresh  plugs.  From  this  Ladle  is  “poured”  a 
number  of  bells  as  the  quantity  of  metal  drawn 
provides  for,  when  the  Ladle  is  returned,  the 
furnace  again  is  tapped,  and  this  operation  is 
repeated  until  all  the  molds  have  been  filled. 
What  metal  remains  after  filling  the  last  mold 
is  poured  into  ingot  molds  and  is  used  in  the 
next  lot  of  metal  melted. 

The  furnace  we  use  is  that  known  tech¬ 
nically  as  a  “HOT-AIR  FURNACE,” 
which  means  that  the  metal  is  melted  by 
“HOT  AIR.”  It  is  oblong  in  form,  having 


two  compartments  and  chimney.  The 
Fire  compartment  is  at  farthest  end 
from  the  chimney  or  Stack;  there  is  a 
wall  between  this  section  and  the  metal 
section,  reaching  almost  to  the  interior 
top  of  the  furnace,  the  top  of  the  metal 
section  being  convex  downward.  Through 
the  aperture  above  the  wall  the  heat 
enters  the  metal  section,  strikes  the  con- 
vexed  roof  and  is  deflected  upon  the  metal. 

This  is  the  cleanest  method  of 
melting  and  assures  the  most  perfect 
amalgam  of  the  two  metals  used,  cop¬ 
per  being  first  melted  and  the  block  tin 
afterwards,  the  latter  being  put  in  at  the 
last  in  a  manner  that  is  specially  pro¬ 
vided  for  in  the  construction  of  our 
furnace.  The  view  here  given  shows  the 
manner  of  casting  or  “pouring”  a  bell. 
The  molds  remain  closed  for  a  day  or 
more,  according  to  sizes,  to  allow  a 
gradual  cooling  of  the  bells. 

When  the  molds  are  opened,  the 
top  one,  or  “Cope,”  is  lifted  off,  then  the 
bell  is  lifted  off  the  “CORE,”  the  view 
here  given  showing  the  position  of  the 
Cope  and  Core,  the  bell  having  been  re- 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


25 


moved,  and  leaving  the  broken,  charred  residue  of  the 
loam  mold  visible,  which  we  thus  show  to  make  clear 
that  no  matter  how  many  bells  are  to  be  made,  every 
one  must  go  through  the  same  process  and  that  no  mold 
can  be  used  for  another  bell  of  like  size.  A  new  loam 
mold  is  absolutely  necessary  for  each  and  every  bell. 

The  bell  is  now  cleared  of  all  adhering  mold  and  sent 
to  the  polishing  table,  where  it  is  finished  to  its  natural, 
gleaming,  gold-like  color,  and  is  then  fitted  out  with  its 
MOUNTINGS,  thoroughly  tried  out  to  meet  the  most 
exacting  criticism,  and  then  shipped  to  the  purchaser; 
when  placed  in  the  belfry  ready  for  use  it  appears  as  shown 
in  Fig.  1  on  page  5  of  this  book. 


THE  EUROPEAN  METHOD  OF 
CASTING  BELLS 


By  aid  of  the  cut  given  herewith  we  will  briefly  explain 
their  process.  After  designing  the  draft,  ONE  SWEEP 
Board  is  made  to  conform  to  the  inner  shape  of  the 
proposed  bell.  It  is  adjusted  to  a  Spindle.  A  Pit  is  dug 
just  so  deep  as  to  bring  the  top  of  the  Spindle  aboveground. 

A  Brick  core  is  built  hollow,  with  several  flues  under  it  from 
circumference  to  center.  At  about  two-thirds  of  its  finished 
height  a  flat,  iron  plate  is  set,  resting  on  a  suitable  stake 

previously  driven  down,  and  the  ends  built  into  the  brick  core.  The  center  of  this  plate  is 
countersunk  for  the  point  of  the  Spindle  to  rest  in  and  revolve.  Above  the  Pit  is  a  Beam 
hinged  at  one  end  to  a  suitable  support,  a  countersunk  plate  on  the  under  side  to  tally  with 
that  on  the  plate  set  inside  the  core  and  between  which  the  Sweep  revolves,  the  other  end 
locked  to  a  support  to  keep  it  rigid. 

The  brick  core  is  roughly  finished  outside  to  suitable  form  and  on  it  is  then  “swept  up”  a 
loam  mold  to  conform  to  the  inner  shape  of  the  bell.  The  mold  is  allowed  to  dry,  by  which 

time  the  sweep  has  been'  further  cut  to  conform  to  the 
outer  shape  of  the  bell  and  replaced,  the  mold  is  greased 
and  on  it  is  now  swept  up  a  CLAY  BELL,  on  the  outer 
surface  of  which  is  then  placed  in  wax  characters  such  inscrip¬ 
tion,  lettering  or  ornamentation  as  desired.  When  all  is  hard 


and  dry,  the  sweep  is  once  more  cut  down  to  conform  to 
the  outer  shape  of  the  outer  mold ;  the  Sweep  in  the  cut 
shown  appears  as  cut  for  the  outer  shape  of  the  bell.  The 
Clay  Bell  is  now  given  a  coat  of  grease  and  the  outer  loam 
mold  is  then  swept  up  over  the  bell  and  having  several  iron 
bands  around  it  partially  embedded  in  the  mold.  When 
dried,  a  fire  is  built  under  this  completed  mold,  melting 
away  the  grease  and  wax,  the  outer  mold  is  lifted  off,  the 
clay  bell  broken  out  and  removed ,  the  mold  replaced,  all  well 
packed  down  in  the  Pit.  A  Gate  or  Runway  is  then  pro¬ 
vided  from  the  top  of  the  mold  to  the  TAP  of  the  furnace,  the  “pouring”  being  done  by 
allowing  the  metal  to  flow  direct  into  the  mold. 


26 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


understood  in  this  country  a  Peal  of  Bells  consists  of  two  or  more  bells  harmonically 
in  tune  with  each  other.  Generally,  three  bells  are  used,  occasionally  four  or 
five.  When  composed  of  three  they  are  almost  invariably  the  first,  third  and  fifth 
of  the  octave  of  a  given  key,  the  largest  or  first  always  considered  as  the  key-note. 
Such  a  set  is  called  a  “Major  Triad.”  Occasionally  a  “Minor  Triad”  is  desired,  and 
in  some  places  a  combination  of  both.  We  here  present  the  music  score  of  a  number  of  different 
Peals  of  Bells,  here  given  in  accordance  with  “Concert  Pitch  Standard”;  due  allowance  must  be 
made  for  other  standards  of  musical  pitch. 


The  first  here  shown  is  a  set  of  three  bells  in  the  key  of  C, 
weight  of  bells  about  7,800  lbs.,  and  with  mountings  complete 
close  to  12,000  lbs. 

The  second  is  a  set  of  three  bells  in  the  key  of  D  flat, 
weight  of  bells  from  6,500  to  6,700  lbs.,  and  with  mountings 
complete  about  10,000  lbs. 

The  third  is  a  set  of  three  bells  in  the  key  of  D,  weight  of 
bells  5,500  to  5,700  lbs.,  and  with  mountings  complete  about 
8,500  lbs. 

The  fourth  is  a  set  of  three  bells  in  the  key  of  E  flat,  weight 
of  bells  about  4,600  to  4,700  lbs.,  and  with  mountings  com¬ 
plete  about  7,000  lbs. 

The  fifth  is  a  set  of  three  bells  in  the  key  of  E,  weight  of 
bells  about  3,900  lbs.,  and  with  mountings  complete  about 
5,800  lbs. 

The  sixth  is  a  set  of  three  bells  in  the  key  of  F,  weight  of 
bells  about  3,350  lbs.,  with  mountings  complete  about  5,000  lbs. 


These  are  all  “Major  Triads,”  and  of  this  class  of  Peals  we  can  supply  several  sets  of  lesser 
weight  and  higher  key,  as  also  heavier  than  first  set  named  and  of  lower  key,  as  may  be  desired, 
and  for  which  special  proposition  will  be  made  upon  request. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


27 


St.  Alphonsus  Church,  at 
Southport  St.  and  Wellington 
Ave.,  Chicago,  Ill.,  is  shown  in 
the  lower  left-hand  corner,  in 
the  tower  of  which  is  as  fine  a 
set  of  four  bells  as  we  have  ever 
supplied,  the  weight  of  the  bells 
alone  being  about  12,000  lbs.,  and  with  their  mountings  com¬ 
plete  about  18,000  lbs.  Their  tones  are  as  shown  by  the  fol¬ 
lowing  score: 


Two  MINOR  scores  are  here  submitted;  the  first  is  in 
the  key  of  D,  which  in  Concert  Pitch  weigh  about  5,800  lbs., 
with  complete  mountings  about  8,700  lbs.  If  desired  in  Inter¬ 
national  Pitch  the  bells  will  weigh  about  6,750  lbs.,  and  with 
complete  mountings  about  10,000  lbs.  The  second  is  in  key 
of  E,  which  in  Concert  Pitch  weigh  about  4,200  lbs.,  and  with 
complete  mountings  about  6,300  lbs.  If  desired  in  Interna¬ 
tional  Pitch  they  will  weigh  about  5,000  lbs.,  and  with  mount¬ 
ings  complete  about  7,500  lbs.  A  combination  of  Major  and 


Minor  chords  is  represented  in  the  two  scores  at  the  left,  the 
first  in  the  key  of  D,  Concert  Pitch,  weight  of  bells  about  7,400 
lbs.,  and  with  mountings  complete  about  11,500  lbs.  In  Inter¬ 
national  Pitch  the  weight  would  be  about  8,600  lbs.,  and  with 
mountings  complete  about  13,000  lbs. 

The  next  is  in  key  of  E  flat,  Concert  Pitch,  and  the  weight 
of  bells  about  6,300  lbs.,  with  mountings  complete  9,500  lbs.  In  International  Pitch  they  would 
be  about  7,400  lbs.,  and  with  mountings  complete  about  11,500  lbs.  The  church  at  the  right  is 
St.  Joseph’s  Church,  St.  Joseph,  Minn.,  in  the  tower  of  which 
is  a  set  of  four  bells  we  supplied  in  1903,  weighing  almost 
8,300  lbs.,  with  mountings 


complete  about  12,500  lbs., 
and  their  tones  are  thus: 

The  church  shown  in  the  center  is  St.  Nicholas  Church, 
Evanston,  Ill.,  in  the  tower  of  which  is  a  set  of  four  bells  which 
we  supplied  in  1906,  their  total 
weight  being  10,300  lbs.,  and 
with  complete  mountings  about 
16,000  lbs.  Their  tones  are  these: 


28 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


N  presenting  these  views  of  churches,  cathedrals 
and  other  edifices,  we  would  state  that  it  was  im¬ 
possible  to  secure  photographs  of  ALL  that  have 
Peals  or  Chimes  of  our  bells  in  use,  nor  would  the 
space  available  permit  the  insertion  of  all  if  we 
could  have  secured  them,  and,  for  the  same  reason,  we  cannot 
list  all  Peals  and  Chimes  furnished  by  this  foundry.  Our  en¬ 
deavor  is  to  supply  such  references  as  will  afford  every  pro¬ 
spective  purchaser  ample  opportunity  to  secure  satisfactory  in¬ 
formation  regarding  our  work  and  the  reliability  of  our  dealings. 

We  urge  every  one  contemplating  such  a  purchase  to  inves¬ 
tigate,  and  if  possible  to  personally  go  to  the  nearest  church 
having  our  bells  and  inspect  them,  especially  such  as  we  have 
supplied  within  recent  years,  as  these  exemplify  our  latest  style 
of  fittings  and  special  scientific  TUNING  WORK. 

Of  the  many  single  Bells,  Peals  and  Chimes  supplied  by 
this  foundry  many  years  ago,  it  is  but  reasonable  to  expect  that 
the  growth  of  churches,  the  ravages  of  time,  fire  and  accident 
have  caused  a  number  of  them  to  be  replaced  by  new  ones  in 
recent  years. 

The  following  list  of  churches  have  respectively  Peals  of  two  to  four  bells  from  our  foundry. 
The  total  weight  of  the  bells  alone  is  given,  without  mountings. 


GERM.  EV.  LUTH.  CHURCH 
Cumberland,  Md. 

Three  Bells,  2,600  lbs. 


Brownsville,  Tex . 

New  York  City . 

New  York  City . 

New  York  City . 

St.  Jacques  le  Mineur,  P.Q. 
Prince  Albert,  Sask.  .  .  . 

Norwalk,  Ohio . 

St.  Clements,  Ont.  .  .  . 

Brooklyn,  N.Y . 

St.  Melanie,  P.Q.  .  . 

Omaha,  Neb . 

Manitowoc,  Wis . 

Hull,  P.Q . 

Sheboygan,  Wis . 

Corpus  Christi,  Tex.  .  .  . 

Detroit,  Mich . 

Marquette,  Mich . 

New  York  City . 

Sebastopol,  Ont . 

Zanesville,  Ohio . 

St.  Martine,  P.Q- . 

Bloomsburg,  Pa . 

Little  Chute,  Wis . 

Hudson,  N.Y . 

Edmunston,  N.B. . 

Tomah,  Wis . 

Detroit,  Mich. 

Escanaba,  Mich . 

Detroit,  Mich . 

Laurium,  Mich . 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Camden,  N.Y.  .... 

St.  Agatha,  Ont . 

New  Hamburg,  Ont.  .  .  . 


St.  Mary’s  Church .  2700 

St.  Mary’s  of  Assumption  ...  2400 

Church  of  O.  L.  of  Sorrows  ...  2850 

St.  Ann’s  Church .  3000 

Roman  Catholic  Church .  3300 

Sacred  Heart  Cathedral . 3100 

St.  Mary’s  Church .  3220 

Catholic  Church  .  2130 

Church  of  Annunciation . 2136 

Catholic  Church  .  2300 

St.  Philomena  Church .  3300 

German  Lutheran  Church  1660 

Catholic  Church  .  2900 

Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  2900 

St.  Patrick’s  Church .  2900 

St.  Paul’s  Lutheran  Church  .  .  .  2900 

St.  Peter’s  Cathedral .  2900 

Swedish  Lutheran  Church  ....  2900 

Trinity  Lutheran  Church  .  .  2758 

German  Lutheran  Church  ...  2950 

Catholic  Church  .  2327 

St.  Paul’s  Church .  2750 

St.  John’s  Church .  3320 

Christ  Episcopal  Church  .  .  2744 

Immaculate  Conception  Church  2300 

St.  Paul’s  Lutheran  Church  .  2500 

St.  James’  Lutheran  Church  .  .  2300 

St.  Patrick's  Church  ....  3000 

Christ  Lutheran  Church .  2400 

St.  Paulus  Lutheran  Church  .  2300 

St.  John  Cantius  Church  .  .  3250 

St.  John’s  R.C.  Church  2000 

St.  Agatha’s  R.C.  Church  2400 

Catholic  Church .  2400 


lbs. 


ST.  ANN’S  CHURCH 
Turners  Falls,  Mass. 
Three  Bells,  3,350  lbs. 


There  are  many  more  churches  having  peals  of  our  bells,  the  weight  of  the  set  of  bells  aggre¬ 
gating  from  1,500  lbs.  up  to  2,300  lbs.,  respectively,  these  being  the  least  weights  that  will  yield 
good  results  when  distributed  properly  into  three  bells.  It  is  always  best  to  tell  us  the  total  desired 
weight  and  let  us  apportion  it  in  the  best  manner  to  secure  the  best  results.  We  desire  it  particu¬ 
larly  understood  that  we  give  to  each  and  every  order,  whether  great  or  small,  our  best  care  and 
most  skilful  services. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


29 


All  churches  shown  and  listed  on  this  page  have  Peals,  the 
largest  bell  alone  weighing  between  2,100  and  2,200  pounds. 
Those  shown  on  the  right  reading  downward  are : 

St.  Louis  R.C.  Church,  Buffalo,  N.Y. 

St.  Mary's  R.C.  Church,  Columbus,  O. 

St.  Peter’s  R.C.  Church,  Allegheny,  Pa. 

Those  shown  on  the  left  are: 

St.  Peter's  Church,  Jersey  City,  N.J. 

St.  Joseph’s  Church,  Topeka,  Kans. 


St.  John’s  R.C.  Church 
Amherstburg,  Ont. 

Trinity  Episcopal  Church 
Washington,  Pa. 

Sacred  Heart  Church 
St.  Mary's,  Pa. 

Immaculate  Conception  Church 
Formosa,  Ont. 

German  Evangelical  Luth.  Church 
East  Saginaw,  Mich. 

St.  John’s  Lutheran  Church 
Hagerstown,  Md. 


St.  Joseph's  R.C.  Church 
Galion,  Ohio. 

St.  Mary’s  R.C.  Church 
Erie,  Pa. 

St.  Benedict’s  R.C.  Church 
Blue  Island,  Ill. 

Friedens  Evangelical  Church 
Prairie  du  Sac,  Wis. 

Immaculate  Conception  Church 
Lansing,  Iowa 

St.  Paul’s  Ev.  Luth.  Church 
Ft.  Atkinson,  Wis. 

St.  John's  Ev.  Luth.  Church 
Jefferson,  Wis. 

Holy  Ghost  Lutheran  Church 
Milwaukee,  Wis. 


30 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


* 


1.  Grace  Lutheran  Church 

Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Three  Bells.  2100  lbs.  Tenor 

2.  St-  Luke's  Church 

Rochester,  N.Y. 

Four  Bells.  2100  lbs.  Tenor 

3.  St.  John’s  R.C.  Church 

Erie,  Pa. 

Three  Bells.  2500  lbs.  Tenor 

4.  St.  Mary’s  R.C.  Church 

Annapolis,  Md. 

Three  Bells.  2100  lbs.  Tenor 

5.  San  Fernando  Cathedral 

San  Antonio,  Tex. 

Four  Bells.  3574  lbs.  Tenor 

6.  St.  Mary’s  R.C.  Church 

Memphis,  Tenn. 

Three  Bells.  2100  lbs.  Tenor 

7.  Holy  Cross  R.  C.  Church 

Columbus,  Ohio 
Three  Bells.  2300  lbs.  Tenor 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


31 


CHURCHES  HAVING  PEALS,  LARGEST  BELL  2,500  POUNDS 


Oswego,  N.Y.,  St.  Paul’s  Episcopal  Church 
Reading,  Pa.,  St.  Paul’s  Church 
Paincourtville,  La.,  Church  of  Assumption 
Mentz,  Texas,  St.  Roche’s  Church 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Holy  Cross  Lutheran  Church 

Milwaukee,  Wis.,  St.  Lucas 


Newark,  N.J.,  St.  Peter’s  Church 
Ft.  Wayne,  Ind.,  German  Lutheran  Church 
Dayton,  Ohio,  Holy  Rosary  Church 
Hanover,  N.H.,  Dartmouth  Chapel 
Chicopee,  Mass.,  St.  Stanislaus  Church 
Lutheran  Church 


THE  FOLLOWING  CHURCHES  HAVE  PEALS  AS  NOTED 


French  Catholic  Church,  St.  Rose 
du  Lac,  Man.  Four  Bells,  largest  3,090 
lbs.,  key  of  D. 


St.  Joseph’s  Church,  Macon,  Ga. 
Three  Bells,  largest  3,050  lbs.,  key  of  D. 


Sacred  Heart  Church,  Polonia, 
Wis.  Largest  bell  3,057  lbs.,  key  of  D. 


The  church  here  shown  is  St.  Joseph’s 
Rochester,  N.Y.;  the  largest  bell  weighs  2,824 
lbs.  Peal  is  in  key  of  E  flat. 


Cathedral  of  Immaculate  Conception, 
Kingston,  Ontario;  the  largest  bell  is  3,100  lbs. 
Peal  in  key  of  D. 


Cathedral  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul,  Phila¬ 
delphia,  Pa. ;  the  largest  bell  is  3,012  lbs.,  key  of  D. 


Zabriskie  Memorial  Church,  Bristol,  R.I. 
Has  Peal  of  Three  Bells,  largest  3,000  lbs.,  in 
key  of  E  flat. 


St.  Adalbert’s  Church,  Detroit,  Mich. 
Peal  of  Three  Bells,  largest  3,100  lbs.,  key  of  D. 


St.  Casimir  Church,  Amsterdam, 
N.Y.  Largest  bell  3,047  lbs.,  key  of  D. 


Gethsemane  Episcopal  Church,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
Largest  bell  3,128  lbs.,  key  of  D. 


32 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


We  also  have  Peals  of  Bells  in 
other  churches  as  follows: 

Immaculate  Heart  Church,  Pitts¬ 
burgh.  Pa.,  Four  Bells.  .*500  lbs. 
Tenor;  German  Evangelical  Prot¬ 
estant  Church,  Albany,  N.Y.. 
Three  Bells,  Tenor  .*300  lbs.;  and 
in  St.  Martin’s  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Four 
Bells,  Tenor  .*600  lbs. 


In  the  upper  row,  left  to  right,  are  shown  St.  Joseph’s  R.C.  Church,  San 
Antonio,  Texas,  which  has  a  Peal  of  Four  Bells,  3000  lbs.  Tenor. 

St.  Michael’s  R.C.  Cathedral,  Toronto,  Ontario;  Two  Bells,  Tenor  3047  lbs. 

Trinity  Ev.  Luth.  Church,  Columbus,  Ohio;  a  Peal  of  Four  Bells,  Tenor 
3070  lbs. 

The  church  shown  at  left  centre  is  St.  Paul’s  Ev.  Luth.  Church,  Columbus. 
Ohio;  Peal  of  Four  Bells, Tenor  2850  lbs. 

Those  shown  at  bottom,  left  to  right,  are:  Holy  Name  R.C.  Church,  Steuben¬ 
ville.  Ohio;  Peal  of  Three  Bells,  3000  lbs.  Tenor. 

St.  Stanislaus  R.C.  Church,  Bay  City.  Mich.;  Peal  of  Four  Bells,  Tenor 
nearly  6500  lbs. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


33 


St.  Louis’  Cathedral,  New 
Orleans,  La.,  shown  on  the 
left,  has  a  Peal  of  Four  Bells, 
4100  lbs.  Tenor. 

On  the  right,  St.  Paul’s 
R.C.  Cathedral,  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.  Has  Peal  of  Three  Bells, 
Tenor  4100  lbs. 

St.  Mary’s  R.C.  Church, 
Lancaster,  Ohio,  shown  in 
centre,  has  Peal  of  Three 
Bells,  4100  lbs.  Tenor. 


Church  of  M.  H.  Redeemer,  New 
York  City,  has  Peal  of  Two  Bells,  Tenor 
5300  lbs. 

Emanuel  R.C.  Church  at  Dayton, 
Ohio,  Four  Bells,  Tenor  5300  lbs.,  and 

St.  Stanislaus  R.C.  Church,  Buffalo, 
N.Y.,  a  Peal  of  Four  Bells,  Tenor 
5333  lbs. 


At  the  left  is  shown  St. 
John  Kanty  Church  and 
School,  Chicago,  Ill., 
which  has  Peal  of  Four 
Bells,  Tenor  5800  lbs. 

On  the  right  is  shown 
St.  Patrick’s  Cathedral, 
Rochester,  N.Y.,  which 
has  Two  Bells,  the  largest 
of  6100  lbs.  weight. 


MT 


N- 


We  also  have  Peal 
of  Three  Bells,  close 
to  4500  lbs.  Tenor,  in 
St.  Francis  Assis- 
sium  Church,  Chi¬ 
cago,  Ill.,  Sacred 
Heart  Church,  Syra¬ 
cuse,  N.Y.,  and  St. 
Joseph’s  R.C.  Church, 
at  Burlington,  Vt. 


34 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


WESTMINSTER  OR  CAMBRIDGE  CHIMES 


HE  first  Westminster  Chime  was 
composed  of  FIVE  Bells.  The 
four  quarter  bells  represent  the 
same  tone  intervals  as  those  in 
the  tower  of  St.  Mary’s  Church, 
Cambridge,  England,  and  known 
as  the  “Cambridge  Chimes.”  When  the  Clock 
and  Chimes  were  placed  in  the  tower  of  the  Par¬ 
liament  Building  at  Westminster,  London,  those 
intervals  were  used  for  the  Quarter  Bells  and  a 
Great  Bell  added,  it  having  the  note  of  the 
octave  below  the  next  largest  Quarter  bell, 
upon  which  the  hours  were  struck.  That  great 
bell  soon  cracked  and  was  recast,  and  this 
second  great  bell,  known  then  as  Big  Ben, 
cracked  after  a  few  years’  use.  It  has  never  been 
recast  and  its  use  was  discontinued.  The  clock 
hammers  were  then  readjusted  so  the  hours 
would  be  struck  on  the  largest  QUARTER 
bell.  That  soon  demonstrated  that  the  extra 
great  or  HOUR  bell  is  not  a  necessity,  as  few 
persons  have  ever  noticed  that  Big  Ben  is  not 
in  use,  and  since  then  “Westminster”  or 
“Cambridge”  Clock  Chimes  have  been  com¬ 
posed  of  only  the  four  quarter  bell  intervals, 
shown  in  the  following  score,  the  key-note  being 
the  next  largest  bell. 


1st  Quarter  /  2d  \/  3 d 


— l}  J  J — 

— J—r 

-J — —j 

1  - 

I 

./[  1  tJ  0  m 

m  +  0 

J  0  * 

• 

J  * 

0 

ICV  A.  * 

I 

HI/  .  T 

€?• 

\/ 


\ 


The  first  four  notes  shown  are  struck  at  a  quarter  past  the 
hour;  the  eight  notes  marked  “2d”  at  the  half-hour;  the  next 
twelve  notes  at  third  quarter  and  the  next  sixteen  notes  a  little 
before  the  hour,  these  ending  on  the  KEY-NOTE,  and  after  a  due 
pause  the  hour  is  struck  on  the  largest  of  the  four  bells.  We  here 
show  five  scales  of  Westminster  Chimes  and  give  the  total  weight 
of  the  four  bells  based  on  Standard  International  Pitch,  as  follows : 

Set  in  F  for  largest  bell,  about  4,200  lbs. 

Set  in  E  for  largest  bell,  about  5,100  lbs. 

Set  in  E  flat  for  largest  bell,  about  6,000  lbs. 

Set  in  D  for  largest  bell,  about  7,000  lbs. 

Set  in  C  for  largest  bell,  about  10,200  lbs. 

These  are  EXAMPLES.  We  can  furnish  lighter  weight 
sets  in  higher  keys  as  also  heavier  sets  in  lower  keys.  For 
purely  clock  use  the  bells  are  generally  suspended  in  a  sub¬ 
stantial  frame  as  above  shown,  but  if  desired  they  can  be  fur¬ 
nished  with  full  mountings  as  in  Fig.  1,  page  5,  so  they  may  be 
rung  as  a  Peal  or  any  of  the  bells  as  a  SINGLE  bell,  without 
adversely  affecting  the  operation  of  the  clock.  We  thoroughly 
attune  these  bells  in  the  same  careful  manner  as  Peal  and 
Chime  bells  elsewhere  referred  to  and  described  in  this  book. 


$ 


b'b -  gr 


$ 


:#g=| 


Z£2I 


$ 


bb  g 


$ 


~er 


A 

(c 

r\   $2 

A 

WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


35 


PREPARATION  OF  TOWER  FOR  CHIMES 


E  are  often  asked,  “What  space  is 
required  for  chimes?”  There  are 
no  arbitrary  dimensions  beyond 
that  of  enough  space  to  contain 
them  in  proper  order  and  some  to 
spare.  For  the  lightest  weight 
set  of  chimes  the  bell-room  should  be  not  less 
than  about  10  ft.  square  by  about  12  ft.  high 
from  floor  to  ceiling.  The  majority  of  bell- 
rooms  we  have  inspected  are  from  12  to  15  ft. 
square  and  about  14  to  16  ft.  high  from  floor 
to  overhead  ceiling,  roof  or  boarding.  We 
have  put  chimes  in  some  that  are  20  to  24  ft. 
square,  but  they  are  only  about  10  to  12  ft. 
high.  A  bell-room  that  is  approximately  13 
to  15  ft.  square  by  14  to  18  ft.  clear  height 
inside  is  suitable  for  chimes  of  medium  to 
heavy  weight  respectively,  the  largest  bell 
weighing  from  3,000  lbs.  up  to  say  4,500  lbs., 
and  we  may  add  that  we  do  not  regard  a 
heavier  chime  as  good  for  TUNE  PLAYING. 


Most  towers  are  substantially  built,  but  few  have  a  prop¬ 
erly  prepared  bell-room  FLOOR.  The  plan  here  shown 
indicates  the  BEST  arrangement,  and  the  dimensions  given 
are  based  on  a  room  that  is  14  ft.  square.  For  larger  or 
smaller  towers  these  measurements,  etc.,  should  be  corre¬ 
spondingly  more  or  less.  The  plan  is  so  clear  that  we  do  not 
think  further  explanation  necessary.  The  floor  should  be 
strong  enough  to  safely  sustain  THREE  TIMES  the  com¬ 
plete  weight  of  the  bells  and  fittings,  be  so  made  that  it 
will  drain  off  water  promptly,  and  covered  with  either  tin  well 
painted  or  copper.  The  size  of  the  Trap  shown  in  the  plan 
will  admit  a  bell  as  large  as  3,000  lbs.;  for  any  larger  bell  the 
trap  should  be  made  to  correspond.  The  surface  of  the  bell- 
room  floor  should  be  close  to  the  base  of  windows,  certainly 
not  over  15"  below,  and  the  overhead  ceiling  or  roof  should 
be  close  to  top  of  windows  or  not  more  than  about  24"  above, 
and  this  is  meant  for  ANY  and  EVERY  belfry.  If  the  bell- 
room  be  large  in  area  and  not  over  say  10  ft.  high  inside,  then 
the  openings  around  should  be  fully  half  the  inside  WIDTH 
of  room  and  could  be  all  of  three-fourths  and  entirely  open. 
Additional  information  we  will  gladly  supply  based  on  expert 
examination  of  the  tower  and  its  needs  wherever  a  chime  of 
bells  be  under  consideration  with  us. 

The  illustration  here  given  shows  the  general  way  of  in¬ 
stalling  our  chimes  and  the  proper  location  of  Chiming  Con¬ 
sole;  its  distance  from  the  bells  may  be  whatever  the  tower 
conditions  make  necessary,  but  within  50  ft.  of  the  bells  is 
best  if  at  all  practicable  to  there  locate  it.  _  If  the  belfry  win¬ 
dows  are  12  ft.  or  more  in  height  and  of  good  width,  they 
need  not  be  entirely  open;  the  arrangement  of  louvers 
shown  in  illustration  is  generally  sufficient,  especially  if  the 
bell-room  be  well  above  surrounding  buildings  and  apex  of 
church  roof. 


36 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


CHURCH-BELL  CHIMES 


S  generally  understood  in  this  country, 
a  CHIME  consists  of  at  least 
EIGHT  bells  corresponding  to  the 
eight  notes  of  a  given  octave,  but  as 
such  a  set  would  be  very  limited  in 
tune-playing  capacity,  one  or  more 
bells  are  added,  which  greatly  multiplies  the 
number  of  tunes  that  may  then  be  correctly 
played.  Many  tunes  are  composed  in  what  is 
called  in  bell  parlance  the  “key  of  the  fourth,” 
because  the  4th  bell  is  the  key-note,  and  such 
tunes  require  the  insertion  of  a  “diminished 
7th,”  which  we  call  the  “flat  7th,”  to  make 
the  intervals  in  that  key  correct.  Many  tunes 
also  have  one  note  above  the  octave  or  “treble.” 

The  addition,  therefore,  of  the  “  flat  7th  ”  and 
the  one  above  the  “treble”  to  the  eight  bells 
of  the  octave  makes  the  number  of  bells  in 
the  set  amount  to  TEN,  and  this  we  consider 
as  the  least  number  of  necessary  bells  to  form 
a  good  chime.  A  number  of  tunes  also  have 
what  is  known  in  music  as  an  “accidental,”  com¬ 
monly  called  the  “augmented  4th”;  we  call  it 
the  “sharp  4th,”  and  the  insertion  of  such  a  bell 
makes  the  set  comprise  ELEVEN  BELLS,  and, 
if  the  bell-room  space,  strength  of  tower  and 
purchaser’s  means  permit  it,  we  strongly  urge 
such  a  set  of  bells  as  the  best  chime  within  mod¬ 
erate  limits.  We  exemplify  such  chimes  in  the 

two  scores  here  shown,  the  first  being  in  the  key  of  C,  as  heavy  a  set  as  we  recommend  for  the 
best  service  and  most  satisfactory  results. 

To  have  TWELVE  or  more  bells  in  a  set,  the  largest  bell,  commonly  called  the  “Tenor,” 
must  of  necessity  be  heavy  enough  to  avoid  having  those  above  the  octave  so  light  in  weight  as  to 
be  without  that  tone-temper  or  musical  timbre  so  necessary  to  make  all  the  bells  have  a  homo¬ 
geneous  tone-quality. 


Chime  of  Eleven  Bells,  largest  2,500  lbs., 
as  installed  in  1903  in  the  Tower  of 
CHRIST  CHURCH,  BINGHAMTON,  N.Y. 
Bell-Room  13  ft.  Square  by  14  ft.  High. 


I 


o 


g,  to  bt&- 


m 


}?&  bjo- 


0  Vo  -tfo- 


The  second  score  represents  a  medium  weight  chime  of  ELEVEN  bells  in  the  key  of  E  flat, 
and  for  this  NOTE  the  Tenor  bell  should  never  be  more  than  about  3,000  to  3,100  lbs.  We  can 
make  a  lighter  weight  E  flat ;  it  would  be  nearly  a  half-tone  higher  in  pitch.  These  are  EXAMPLES. 
We  can  furnish  lighter  chimes  in  higher  keys  and  intermediate  weight  chimes,  according  to  the 
key-note  desired.  In  large  cities  reasonably  heavy  chimes  are  more  necessary  than  those  of  lesser 
weight,  but  a  very  heavy  chime  of  bells  in  a  moderate  size  church  tower  in  a  small  town  would  be 
out  of  proportion  with  surrounding  conditions  and  involve  an  unnecessary  expenditure  of  money. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


37 


LL  our  chime  bells  are 
made  from  SPECIALLY 
DESIGNED  PAT¬ 
TERNS  drafted  in  ac¬ 
cordance  with  most  care¬ 
fully  calculated  formula? 
to  produce  the  richest,  fullest  musical 
tone-quality;  individually  having  cer¬ 
tain  tones  that  are  in  tune  or  harmony 
and  which  we  can  positively  discern 
and  manipulate.  Bells  thus  made  have 
certain  inherent  tone-elements  pre¬ 
viously  counted  on,  which  we  smooth 
out  by  the  mechanical  tuning  process 
employed  ONLY  in  our  foundry. 

Every  chime  bell  is  thus  a  TONE- 
TEMPERED  bell  of  a  distinctively 
pure,  smooth,  velvet-like  tone-quality, 
musically  attuned  within  itself  and  as 
perfectly  in  tune  with  the  others  of  the 
set  as  can  possibly  be  made. 

Musical  Doctors,  Teachers  of 
Music  in  Universities  and  Colleges, 

Organ  Builders  and  Organists,  many 
of  them  having  NATIONAL  reputa¬ 
tion  of  highest  ability,  have  thoroughly 
tested  our  work ;  some  have  been  here 
in  the  foundry  and  tested  our  process,  all  of  which  they  did  in  the  most  critical  manner,  and  have 
marveled  at  the  superior  results  and  splendid  accuracy  of  tone  and  tune  and  have  said  that  they 
would  consider  any  alteration  as  likely  to  spoil  what  they  regard  as  the  best  possible  chime  work. 
We  do  not  claim  that  chimes  made  many  years  ago  according  to  the  then  known  methods  were 
models  of  perfection,  for  they  simply  COULD  NOT  be,  nor  can  any  foundry  on  earth  produce  even 
an  approximately  accurate  set  of  bell  chimes  without  SOME  tuning  after  the  bells  are  cast.  What 
we  claim  is,  that  NO  OTHER  MAKE  of  chimes  can  fairly  compare  with  such  of  our  chimes  as 

have  been  made  in  accordance  with 
our  present  system  of  tuning.  We 
earnestly  advise  every  one  con¬ 
sidering  the  purchase  of  chimes,  if 
at  all  practicable,  to  personally  visit 
different  places  and  inspect  this  class  of 
our  work,  or  employ  some  competent, 
reliable  person  to  do  so,  and  compare 
it  with  that  of  any  other;  also  to  write 
to  those  whom  we  have  thus  served 
and  learn  from  them  what  they  can  say 
of  the  quality  of  our  work  and  reliability 
of  our  dealings.  We  urge  this  direct 
method  of  investigation  as  the  best  way 
for  each  prospective  chimes  purchaser 
to  subserve  his  own  best  interests. 

ALL  tunes  cannot  be  played  ac¬ 
curately  on  ANY  chime  of  bells,  nor 
is  it  necessary,  as  there  are  thousands 
of  good  well-known  tunes  that  CAN 
be  played  accurately  on  a  chime  of  ten 
to  twelve  bells.  The  chimer  should 
provide  200  to  400  different  tunes  for 
his  use  with  which  he  can  so  change  his 
programs  from  time  to  time  as  to  make  every  chimes  concert  a  pleasurable  event  to  the  community. 
By  harmoniously  transposing  one  or  two  notes  in  a  tune  that  cannot  be  played  as  composed, 
it  will  be  found  that  such  tunes  can  be  played  so  well  that  no  one  will  notice  any  change  therein. 


Chime  of  Ten  Bells,  largest  2,500  lbs., 
as  installed  1901  in  the  Tower  of 
ST.  MATTHEWS  GERM.  LUTH.  CHURCH,  Charleston,  S.C. 
Bell-Room  15  ft.  Square  by  12  ft.  High. 


Chime  of  Twelve  Bells,  largest  4,300  lbs., 
as  installed  in  the  Tower  of 
ST.  PETER’S  CATHEDRAL,  Erie,  Pa.,  1903. 
Bell-Room  18  ft.  Square  by  16  ft.  High. 


38 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


HE  tunes  in  the  various  church  hymnals  seldom 
exceed  the  limit  of  Eleven  bells,  and  as  such  tunes 
are  used  almost  exclusively  on  church  chimes  there 
is  no  pressing  need  for  more  bells.  A  very  small 
number  only  of  the  sacred  solos  are  suitable  for 
being  played  on  chimes,  largely  because  as  they 
are  composed  many  contain  a  number  of  “accidentals”  and 
often  a  change  of  key,  which  effect  cannot  be  produced  on  a 
chime  of  bells.  Hence  it  is  better  to  adhere  to  the  hundreds 
of  tunes  available  in  the  church  and  gospel  hymnals,  playing 
those  best  known  to  the  community. 

The  peculiar  inherent  tone-elements  of  bells  of  less  than 
24”  diameter  make  it  very  essential  to  avoid  their  use  in  chimes. 

The  purpose  of  the  heavier  chimes  is  to  obtain  a  richer,  mel¬ 
lower  tone-quality  which  is  due  to  the  larger  proportions  of 
the  bells  and  the  use  of  more  metal  properly  distributed.  If 
the  range  of  a  heavy  chime  be  extended  to  more  than  Twelve 
bells,  those  beyond  that  number,  no  matter  how  good  they 
may  be  individually,  are  of  little  musical  value  in  -the  chime, 
and  these  upper  notes  will  sound  more  or  less  out  of  balance 
with  the  large  ones.  For  these  reasons  as  well  as  others  which 
we  will  frankly  discuss  with  prospective  chime  purchasers  who 
desire  it,  it  is  impracticable  to  make  a  really  good  sounding 
chime  the  largest  bell  of  which  is  appreciably  less  than  1,800  lbs. 

In  such  a  set  the  smallest  bell  would  be  something  like  200  to 
230  lbs.,  and  will  do  very  well,  but  would,  as  above  stated,  be  somewhat  out  of  balance  in  a 
chime  of  which  the  largest  bell  weighs  2,500  lbs.  or  more. 

For  Universities,  Colleges  and  Public  Memorial  Towers  there  may  be  good  reasons  for  having 
one  or  two  more  bells  in  the  set  to  permit  playing  a  limited  variety  of  secular  songs  and  ballads, 
but  such  a  chime  needs  to  be  of  such  weight  as  to  require  not  less  than  250  to  300  lbs.  in  the  bell 
for  the  highest  note,  and  in  such  chimes  the  purchasers  can  afford  to  make  some  allowance  re¬ 
garding  tone-balance  that  they  may  have  the  necessary  bells  for  playing  the  rollicking  tunes  desired. 

There  are  not  many  such  tunes,  how¬ 
ever,  that  are  desirable  and,  therefore, 
not  much  is  lost  in  deciding  on  a 
chime  of  eleven  or  twelve  bells  of 
lesser  weight. 

For  each  chime  of  bells  we  supply, 
the  frame  is  particularly  built  to  suit 
the  bell-room  in  which  it  is  installed, 
and  is  based  on  the  inside  size  and 
character  of  the  room  and  the  style  of 
the  windows.  For  that  reason  we 
present  illustrations  of  several  chimes 
showing  how  they  arc  installed,  and 
give  the  size  of  the  room.  The  same 
chiming  action  is  in  each  and  every  set 
we  supply,  the  most  perfect  Playing 
Action  that  has  ever  been  devised  for 
chimes. 

In  numerous  instances  the  pur¬ 
chasers  do  not  desire  the  largest  bell 
to  be  used  as  a  swinging  bell,  and  so 
all  the  bells  are  mounted  as  shown  in 
the  illustration  of  Cornell  University 
Chimes. 


Chime  of  Fourteen  Bells,  largest  4,850  lbs.,  as  installed  1008  in 
the  Tower  of  the  Library  Building,  CORNELL  UNIVERSITY, 
Ithaca,  N.Y.  Bell-Room  18  ft.  Square  by  12  ft.  High 


Chime  of  Fourteen  Bells, 
largest  4,300  lbs.,  as  installed  1903  in  the 
Tower  of  ST.  SIMEON’S  EP.  CHURCH, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Bell-Room  14  ft.  Square  by  17  ft.  High. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


39 


OUR  CHIMES  PLAYING  CONSOLE 


N  this  page  we  show  two  styles  of 
our  Chiming  Console,  one  having 
turned  posts,  the  other  rich,  plain 
posts,  and  purchasers  of  our 
chimes  may  have  either  style 
desired.  We  make  them  of  Oak,  highly 
polished,  and  will  be  furnished  in  either  a  dark 
antique,  dark  golden  or  green  weathered  finish 
as  preferred;  if  no  preference  is  expressed  in 
ordering,  we  furnish  the  Console  with  turned 
posts  and  dark  golden  Oak  finish 

The  music  holder,  the  connecting  ferrules, 
the  adjusting  bars  and  hinges  are  all  of  brass, 
highly  finished,  and  with  the  remaining  metal 
parts,  bolts,  etc.,  are  heavily  nickel-plated. 

If  desired,  the  Console  will  be  provided 
with  four  foot-pedals  or  levers,  but  our  expe¬ 
rience  is  that  with  very  few  exceptions,  where 
they  have  been  included,  they  have  fallen  into 
disuse  within  a  very  short  time,  and  so  they 
are  only  included  if  so  requested  at  time  of 
making  contract  for  the  chimes.  The  connec¬ 
tions  from  the  Console  up  through  the  several  floors  to  the  bell-room  are  straight-grain  wooden 
rods,  tested  to  stand  1,500  lbs.  lift,  and  unless  broken  by  side  strain  they  will  last  anywhere  from 
50  to  100  years  with  proper  care.  Owing  to  the  character  of  these  connections,  which  must  be  of 
great  strength  and  lasting  quality,  it  becomes  a  necessity  to  have  the  Chiming  Console  located  on 
some  floor  of  the  tower  and  as  nearly  in  the  center  of  the  room  as  the  connecting  adjustments  of 

playing  action  require,  all  of  which  is  based  on 
the  size  and  shape  of  the  bell-room,  and  illustrated 
on  page  35  of  this  book.  The  chiming  action  imme¬ 
diately  under  each  bell  in  our  chimes  is  unique  in 
design,  combining  strength,  reliability  of  tension 
with  resilient  stroke;  in  effect  a  heavy  Piano  Action. 

No  one  can  strike  too  hard  a  blow,  and  yet  as 
light  a  stroke  as  desired  can  be  given,  nor  can  the 
ball  of  the  clapper  rest  in  contact  with  the  bell- 
There  is  nothing  gained  by  extra  exertion  of  power 
in  playing  nor  any  baek-pulling  of  the  levers  neces¬ 
sary  by  the  chimer.  Playing  a  chime  is  healthy 
exercise  and  the  correct  knack  of  it  is  soon  acquired 
by  one  ambitious  enough  to  properly  qualify,  and 
while  this  work  does  NOT  require  a  professional 
musician,  he  should  be  one  well  enough  versed  in 
music  to  read  it  readily  and  be  able  to  play  it  cor¬ 
rectly  on  some  musical  instrument  such  as  Piano, 
Organ,  Violin,  ’Cello,  Trombone,  Cornet,  etc.  wSuch 
an  one  will,  by  aid  of  the  instructions  given  by  our 
chimer  at  time  of  installation  of  chimes,  be  able  to 
properly  play  them  almost  immediately. 


40 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


CHIMES  FROM  OUR  FOUNDRY 

N  these  pages  we  present  a  large  list  of  chimes  supplied  by  this  foundry,  compiled 
from  the  records,  the  first  set  having  been  manufactured  for  exhibition  about  1853. 
It  is  interesting  that,  so  far  as  we  know,  all  the  chimes  furnished,  with  but  two  or  three 
exceptions,  are  still  in  use  to  the  edification  of  all  who  hear  them.  We  give  these 
illustrations  as  near  as  space  pennits  according  to  weights,  beginning  with  the 
lightest  weight  chimes  made. 


Sacred  Heart  Church,  Georgetown,  B.  Guiana 
Ten  Bells,  1800  lbs.  Tenor;  bought  in  1905. 

Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd  (at  right),  Hartford,  Conn. 
Nine  Bells,  1800  lbs.  Tenor;  bought  in  1869. 
Shown  below,  left  to  right: 


Trinity  Reformed  Church 
York,  Pa. 

Chime  of  Nine  Bells, 
Tenor  bell  1800  lbs. 
Bought  in  1868 


Christ  Episcopal  Church 
Indianapolis,  Ind. 
Nine  Bells,  bought  1860. 
Tenor  bell  1700  lbs. 

St.  Paul's  Ep.  Church 
Petersburg,  Va. 

Nine  Bells,  bought  1860. 
Tenor  bell,  1700  lbs. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


41 


The  church  shown  at  the  right 
is  First  Presbyterian  with  DeWitt 
C.  Hay  Memorial  Tower,  Sackets 
Harbor,  N.Y.,  in  which  is  Chime  of 
Ten  Bells  succeeding  a  set  of  nine 
originally  placed  in  1893.  That 
first  set  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and 
the  new  set  was  placed  in  1899. 
Tenor  bell  weighs  1800  lbs. 

The  church  at  left  is  St.  Peter’s 
R.  C.  Church,  New  Brunswick,  N.J. 
Chime  of  Nine  Bells,  2100  lbs. 
Tenor;  bought  in  1870. 

The  second  church  at  left  is 
Ascension  Church,  Troy,  N.Y., 
having  Nine  Bells,  the  Tenor  nearly 
1800  lbs.;  placed  in  tower  in  1870. 

The  church  at  right  is  Main  St. 
M.  E.  Church,  South,  Danville,  Va. 
Chime  of  Eleven  Bells,  2100  lbs. 
Tenor;  installed  in  1909. 

In  the  lower  left  corner  is  St. 
Peter's  Eng.  Church,  Cobourg,  Ont. 
Chime  of  Ten  Bells,  installed  1904; 
Tenor  bell  1800  lbs. 

In  lower  right  corner  is  Grace 
M.  E.  Church,  Morningside,  Sioux 
City,  Iowa.  Chime  of  Eleven  Bells, 
Tenor  2100  lbs.;  installed  in  1908. 


42 


ME NEELY  &  COMPANY 


The  church  at  left  is 
Woodside  Presbyterian, 
Troy,  N.Y.,  having  Nine 
Bells,  1800  lbs.  Tenor;  in¬ 
stalled  in  1869. 

Next  below  is  St. 
Patrick’s  Church,  Utica, 
N.Y.  The  bells  were  pur¬ 
chased  from  time  to  time 
until  ten  in  all  had  been 
procured  by  1868.  Tenor 
weighs  somewhat  less  than 
1800  lbs. 

The  next  below  is  Park 
Congregational  Church, 
Norwich,  Conn.  Ten  Bells 
installed  1876;  Tenor 


2100  lbs. 


Church  shown  at  right 
above  is  St.  John's  Angli¬ 
can,  Lunenburg,  Nova 
Scotia.  Chime  of  Ten 
Bells,  1800  lbs.  Tenor;  in¬ 
stalled  1902. 

Next  below  is  St.  Paul’s 
Anglican  Church,  Fort 
William,  Ont.  Chime  of 
Ten  Bells,  Tenor  1800  lbs.; 
installed  1909. 

Lower  right  hand  is 
First  Presbyterian  Church, 
Pasadena,  Cal.  Eleven 
Bells,  2100  lbs.  Tenor; 
installed  1908. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


43 


The  church  shown  at  the  left  is 
St.  John’s  Anglican,  Truro,  Nova 
Scotia.  Chime  of  Ten  Bells,  Tenor 
1800  lbs.;  installed  in  1906. 

The  one  at  the  right  is  M.  E. 
Church,  Plainfield,  Ill.  Chime  of 
Ten  Bells,  Tenor  1800  lbs.;  installed 
1906. 

The  next  shown  below  is  First 
M.  E.  Church,  San  Diego,  Cal. 
Chime  of  Eleven  Bells,  Tenor  2100 
lbs.;  installed  in  1908. 

That  shown  in  lower  right  corner 
is  St.  James  Anglican  Church, 
Stratford,  Ont.  Chime  of  Eleven 
Bells,  Tenor  2100  lbs.;  installed 
1909. 


We  also  have  chimes  as  noted  in  the  following  named 
churches. 

St.  Paul’s  Episcopal  Church  at  Concord,  N.H.  Nine  Bells, 
1800  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1868. 

St.  James’  Episcopal  Church  at  Derby,  Conn.  Nine  Bells, 
1800  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1867. 

St.  John's  R.  C.  Church,  Newark,  N.J.  Nine  Bells,  1800 
lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1859. 

St.  John  the  Baptist  R.  C.  Church  at  Paterson,  N.J.  Nine 
Bells,  2100  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1860. 


St.  Aloysius  R.  C.  Church,  Newark,  N.J.  Nine  Bells,  2100 
lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1888. 

St.  Ann's  R.  C.  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.Y.  Nine  Bells,  Tenor 
2100  lbs.;  installed  in  1869. 

St.  Peter’s  Presbyterian  Church,  Rochester,  N.Y.  Pro¬ 
cured  nine  bells  in  1860  and  added  three  in  1869.  Tenor  2100 
lbs. 

St.  James’  Episcopal  Church,  Oskaloosa,  Iowa.  Ten  Bells, 
2100  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1901. 

St.  Paul’s  Episcopal  Church,  Chester,  Pa.  Eleven  Bells, 
2100  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1909. 


44 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


1.  Memorial  M.E.  Church,  South,  Durham,  N.C.  Ten 
Bells,  Tenor  1800  lbs.;  installed  1907. 

2.  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Marion,  Ind.  Eleven  Bells, 
2100  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1910. 

3.  First  Ev.  Lutheran  Church,  Leechburg,  Pa.  Ten  Bells, 
2100  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1910. 

4.  Court  St.  M.  E.  Church,  South,  Lynchburg,  Va.  Ten 
Bells,  1800  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1908. 

5.  Trinity  Episcopal  Church  at  Vineland,  N.J.  Ten  Bells, 
2100  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1902. 

Also  have  chime  of  Ten  Bells  in  tower  of  St.  Patrick's 
Church,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  Tenor  2500  lbs.;  installed 
in  1874. 


i 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


45 


Christ  Episcopal  Church, 
Little  Rock,  Ark.,  at  the  left. 
Eleven  Bells,  2100  lbs.  Tenor; 
installed  in  1903. 

St.  Paul’s  Presby.  Church, 
Hamilton,  Ont.,  at  right.  Eleven 
Bells,  2100  lbs.  Tenor;  installed 
1906. 

At  left  centre  is  shown  Unita¬ 
rian  Church  at  Hopedale,  Mass. 
Eleven  Bells,  2100  lbs.  Tenor; 
installed  in  1910. 

At  right  centre  is  shown  St. 
Timothy’s  Ep.  Church,  Rox- 
borough,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Ten 
Bells,  2100  lbs.  Tenor;  installed 
1897. 


rtfl 

B9.  ■  u,  I  r  j JS 

Du.  -  r  <  m 

mu  I 

iM  te  j 

V 


At  right  here  shown  is 
David  Dudley  Field  Memo¬ 
rial  Tower  at  Stockbridge, 
Mass.,  in  which  is  Chime  of 
Ten  Bells,  2100  lbs.  Tenor; 
installed  in  1878. 

At  left  is  St.  John’s  Ep. 
Church,  Savannah,  Ga. 
Procured  Eight  Bells  in  1854 
and  were  used  until  1910. 
They  were  then  sent  to  us 
to  be  recast  and  have  three 
bells  added,  all  tuned  by  our 
new  process,  and  with  all 
new  frame,  fittings  and 
playing  console  were  placed 
in  Tower  in  1911.  Tenor  bell 
is  2500  lbs. 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


4t> 


The  churches  shown  on  this 
page,  beginning  at  the  left  down¬ 
ward  and  then  the  right  down¬ 
ward,  are: 

St.  Mark’s  Ep.  Church  at 
Hoosick  Falls,  N.Y.  Ten  Bells, 
2500  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1871 . 

St.  Paul’s  Ep.  Church,  Buffalo, 
N.Y.  Ten  Bells,  2500  lbs  Tenor; 
installed  in  1856. 

Central  M.  E.  Church  at 
Winona,  Minn.  Eleven  Bells, 
2500  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1906. 

First  Baptist  Church,  Newton 
Centre,  Mass.  Ten  Bells,  2500 
lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1898. 


St.  Peter’s  Ep.  Church, 
Auburn,  N.Y.  Ten  Bells,  2500 
lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1875. 

St.  Matthew’s  Germ.  Ev.  Luth. 
Church,  Charleston,  S.C.  Ten 
Bells,  2500  lbs.  Tenor;  nstalled 
in  1901. 

Trinity  Ep.  Church  at  Cleve¬ 
land,  Ohio,  had  a  like  Chime  of 
Nine  Bells,  procured  in  1854.  The 
parish  outgrew  the  church  and 
erected  a  new  edifice  about  fifty 
years  later  which  became  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Diocese;  the 
old  church  was  dismantled  and 
with  the  bells  and  other  [things 
disposed  of. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


47 


Below  at  left  is  shown  Alt  Saints'  Ep.  Church,  Great 
Neck,  N.Y.  Eleven  Bells,  2500  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in 
1904. 

The  church  shown  below  at  right  is  Christ  Ep. 
Church,  Binghamton,  N.Y.  Eleven  Bells,  2500  lbs. 
Tenor;  installed  in  1903.  We  have  duplicates  of  this 
chime  in  the  towers  of  Christ  Ep.  Church,  Winnetka, 
111.,  and  Memorial  M.  E.  Church,  Mishawaka,  Ind.,  both 
sets  installed  in  1912. 


The  church  shown  at  right  is 
St.  Peter's  R.  C.  Church,  Ilaver- 
straw,  N.Y.  Ten  Bells,  2500  lbs. 
Tenor;  installed  in  1896. 

At  the  left  is  St.  John’s  Ep. 
Church,  Waterbury,  Conn.  Ten 
Bells,  2500  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in 
1871. 

At  right  centre  is  shown  Christ 
Church,  Anglican,  at  Petrolia,  Ont. 
Eleven  Bells,  2500  lbs.  Tenor;  in¬ 
stalled  in  1909. 


48 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


Above  is  shown  Grace  Episcopal  Church,  New  Bedford,  Mass. 
Ten  Bells,  3000  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1882. 

Below  is  shown  B.  M.  C.  Durfee  High  School,  Fall  River,  Mass., 
with  a  like  chime  installed  1886. 

Above  at  right  is  St.  James'  Ep.  Church,  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Mich. 
Chime  of  Eleven  Bells,  3000  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1905. 

That  next  below  is  Christ  Ep.  Cathedral,  Salina,  Kans.  Chime  of 
Eleven  Bells,  2500  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1906. 


Next  below  is  shown  Grace  Ep.  Church,  Utica,  N.Y.  Ten  Bells, 


2500  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1870. 

We  also  have  Chime  of  Ten  Bells  in  tower  of  Elm  Park  M. 
Church,  Scranton,  Pa.,  3000  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1892. 


i 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


49 


The  Church  of  O.  L.  of  Perpetual  Help  (Mission 
Church),  Roxbury,  Boston,  Mass.  Chime  of  Twelve 
Bells,  Tenor  4300  lbs.;  installed  in  1910. 

A  like  chime  is  in  tower  of  the  Guardian  Angels 
Church,  Manistee,  Mich.,  shown  below;  installed  1910. 


At  the  right  is  Holy 
Trinity  Church,  Yar¬ 
mouth,  Nova  Scotia. 
Eleven  Bells,  Tenor  2500 
lbs.;  installed  in  1908. 

'  Below  it  is  St.  Sime¬ 
on's  Ep.  Church,  Phila¬ 
delphia,  Pa.  This  church 
has  a  Chime  of  Fourteen 
Bells,  Tenor  4300  lbs.; 
installed  in  1903. 


The  church  shown  at  the 
right  is  St.  Paul’s  Episcopal 
Church,  Dedham,  Mass. 
Chime  of  Ten  Bells,  3000  lbs. 
Tenor;  installed  in  1881. 

A  like  chime  of  bells  is  in 
tower  of  Trinity  Ep.  Church, 
Bristol,  R.I.  It  is  composed 
of  bells  bought  at  various 
times  until  the  last  ones  to 
complete  the  set  in  1897. 


50 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


Grace  Episcopal 
Church,  New  York  City, 
shown  above,  has  perhaps 
the  widest  known  Chime  of 
Ten  Bells  in  this  country. 
The  Tenor  is  nearly  3000 
lbs.  They  were  installed 
in  1873  and  are  rung  several 
times  daily. 


St.  Andrew’s 
Episcopal 
Church,  shown  at 
right.  New  York 
City.  Chime  of 
Ten  Bells,  Tenor 
3000  lbs.;  in¬ 
stalled  in  1890. 


At  the  left  is  shown  St. 
Thomas’  Episcopal  Church, 
New  York  City,  as  it  was  before 
the  fire  which  destroyed  the 
Tower.  There  were  Ten  Bells 
therein.  Tenor  nearly  3000  lbs.; 
installed  in  1874.  The  bells  are 
in  storage  until  the  completion 
of  the  new  edifice. 


In  centre  is  shown  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Immacu¬ 
late  Conception,  Albany, 
N.Y.  Chime  of  Ten  Bells, 
Tenor  3000  lbs.;  installed 
in  1862. 

The  church  shown  below 
is  St.  Michael's  Episcopal, 
New  York  City.  Chime  of 
Ten  Bells,  Tenor  3000  lbs.; 
installed  1891. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


51 


At  the  left  is  shown 
St.  Peter's  German  Ev. 
Lutheran  Church,  Ber¬ 
lin,  Ont.  There  were 
three  fine  bells  in  the 
tower,  which  was  sur¬ 
mounted  by  a  fine  tall 
spire.  It  was  struck 
by  lightning  which  de¬ 
stroyed  the  spire  and  the 
tone  of  the  bells.  They 
were  sent  to  the  foundry, 
recast  and  nine  bells 
added,  making  a  chime 
of  Twelve,  Tenor  3000 
lbs.,  and  installed  in 
1901. 


At  the  right  above  is  shown  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  Newark,  N.J.,  which  has  a  Chime  of  Ten  Bells,  3000 
lbs.  Tenor.  Four  of  the  bells  were  procured  in  1862  and  others  added  from  time  to  time  until  the  set  of 
ten  was  completed  in  1875. 

From  left  to  right  below  are  shown  in  the  order  named,  the  Thomas  W.  Lawson  Observatory  Tower  at 
Dreamwold,  Egypt,  Mass.,  in  which  is  a  Chime  of  Ten  Bells,  3000  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in  1901. 

St.  James’  Cathedral,  Anglican,  Toronto,  Ont.,  having  perhaps  the  tallest  spire  in  Canada,  in  the 
belfry  of  which  is  a  Chime  of  Nine  Bells,  the  Tenor  weighing  nearly  5000  lbs.,  which  were  installed  in  1866. 

Christ  Episcopal  Church,  Reading,  Pa.  Chime  of  Ten  Bells,  Tenor  weighing  2500  lbs. ;  installed  in  1874. 


52 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


On  this  page  are  shown  left  to 
right  downward,  St.  Andrew’s 
Memorial  Ep.  Church,  Yonkers, 
N.Y.  Chime  of  Twelve  Bells, 
3500  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in 
1909. 

St.  Mary’s  R.  C.  Church,  Yon¬ 
kers,  N.Y.  Chime  of  Twelve 
Bells,  4300  lbs.  Tenor;  installed 
in  1911. 

St.  Patrick's  R.  C.  Church, 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  Eleven  Bells, 
installed  in  1899;  3550  lbs. 

Tenor. 

St.  Charles  Borromeo  Church, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  Eleven  Bells, 
3000  lbs.  Tenor;  installed  in 
1904. 


Trinity  Ev.  Luth.  Church, 
Connellsville,  Pa.  Chime  of 
Twelve  Bells,  4300  lbs.  Tenor; 
installed  in  1911. 

St.  John’s  R.  C.  Church,  Clin¬ 
ton,  Mass.  Chime  of  Eleven 
Bells,  4300  lbs.  Tenor;  in¬ 
stalled  in  1902. 

Also  have  a  Chime  of  Twelve 
Bells,  3500  lbs.  Tenor,  installed 
1912,  in  University  of  Wash¬ 
ington,  Seattle,  Wash. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y 


53 


The  church  at  left  is  South 
Congregational  Church,  New 
Britain,  Conn.  Chime  of 
Fourteen  Bells,  Tenor  4300 
lbs.;  installed  in  1904. 

At  right  is  shown  Trinity 
Episcopal  Church,  Pitts¬ 
burgh,  Pa.  Four  bells  were 
supplied  in  1864,  five  in  1871 
and  one  in  1874,  making 
ten  bells  in  all;  the  Tenor 
weighing  nearly  3600  lbs.  In 
1910  they  were  remounted 
in  a  new  frame  and  fitted 
out  with  our  latest  improved 
Chiming  Console  and  Play¬ 
ing  Action. 


Cornell  University  at  Ithaca,  N.Y.,  is 
shown  in  lower  left  corner.  A  Chime  of 
Nine  Bells  was  installed  in  the  old  tower  in 
1868,  and  a  great  clock  bell  of  nearly  5000 
lbs.  added  a  year  later. 

These  were  all  sent  to  us  in  1907,  the  two 
largest  TUNED  TO  PITCH,  the  others 
recast  and  incorporated  into  TWELVE 
ADDITIONAL  bells,  using  the  old  great 
bell  as  the  Tenor  of  the  newly  constructed 
Chime  of  Fourteen  Bells;  these  with  all 
new  frame.  Chiming  Console  and  playing 
connections  were  installed  in  the  tower 
shown  in  1908. 


In  centre  is  shown  St. 
Luke’s  Episcopal  Church, 
Germantown,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.  Chime  of  Ten  Bells,  in¬ 
stalled  in  1892;  Tenor 
weighs  3000  lbs. 

Church  shown  below  is  St. 
Joseph’s  French  Church, 
Toledo,  Ohio.  The  church 
has  Eleven  Bells,  3500  lbs. 
Tenor.  Two  bells  were 
bought  in  1879  and]  others 
added  from  time  to  time 
until  the  set  was  completed 
by  1900. 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


54 


At  the  left  above  is  shown  St.  Peter’s  Cathedral,  Erie,  Pa.,  which  has  a  Chime  of  Twelve  Bells,  4300  lbs.  Tenor,  installed  in 
1903.  At  the  right  we  show  Christ  Episcopal  Church,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  having  a  Chime  of  Fourteen  Bells.  4300  lbs.  Tenor,  in¬ 
stalled  in  1905. 


At  the  left  is  shown  the  City  Hall  and  County  Building, 
Albany,  N.Y.,  which 
has  a  bell  of  7100  lbs., 
installed  in  1882. 

At  the  right  is 
shown  St.  Patrick’s 
Church,  Watervliet, 

N.Y.,  having  a  bell 
of  7250  lbs.,  which 
was  installed  in  1906. 

So  far  as  we  know, 
these  are  the  largest 
bells  in  this  State 
outside  of  the  city  of 
New  York. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


00 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  BELLS 


E  include  herein  a  few  of  the  many 
interesting  Old  Missions  of  Southern 
California  and  some  of  the  great  churches 
and  cathedrals  of  Mexico.  The  cathe¬ 
drals  of  Mexico  City  and  Monterey  are 
said  to  have  some  of  the  largest  bells  in  the  West¬ 
ern  Hemisphere,  doubtless  procured  from  Spanish 
founders  during  the  past  two  or  three  centuries. 

We  also  give  a  description  of  the  forms  of  some  of 
the  earliest  known  bells  used  to  summon  people  to 
worship. 

The  origin  of  bells  is  probably  to  be  dated  from  the 
time  when  the  sonorous  property  of  metals  was  first  no¬ 
ticed.  In  the  writings  of  Moses  (Exodus  xxviii.  33-35), 

“bells  of  gold’’  are  mentioned  as  being  attached  to 
Aaron’s  robe,  that  “his  sound  shall  be  heard  when  he 
goeth  in  unto  the  holy  place  before  the  Loi'd.”  Bells  are 
also  mentioned  in  Zech.  xiv.  20 :  “In  that  day  shall  there 
be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses,  HOLINESS  UNTO  THE 
LORD;”  and  it  has  been  suggested  that  even  Tubal 
Cain,  the  sixth  in  descent  from  Adam,  “an  instructor 
of  every  artificer  in  brass  and  iron,”  might  have  known 
something  of  the  art  of  making  them.  /Eschylus  and 
Euripides  infonn  us  that  the  Greek  warriors  had  small 
bells  concealed  within  the  hollows  of  their  shields, 
and  when  the  captains  went  their  rounds  of  the  camp 
at  night  each  soldier  was  required  to  ring  his  bell  in 
order  to  show  that  he  was  awake  and  watchful  at  his 
post.  The  caldrons  of  Dodona,  which  were  a  rude  kind 
of  brazen  kettle  or  bell,  are  mentioned  in  history  as 
having  existed  at  a  very  early  period ;  they  having  been 
hung  upon  the  temple  of  Jupiter,  at  Dodona,  and 
through  the  sound  which  they  gave  forth  when  the 
winds  caused  them  to  strike  against  each  other,  the  most 

ancient  of  the  Grecian  oracles  promulgated 
their  responses.  Plutarch  mentions  that 
when  the  city  of  Xanthus  was  besieged, 
some  of  the  inhabitants  tried  to  escape  by 
swimming  and  diving  through  the  river,  but 
nets  with  small  bells  attached  were  spread 
across  the  stream  under  the  water,  by 
the  ringing  of  which  each  capture  was 
announced. 

The  period  when  large  bells  were  first  in¬ 
troduced  in  churches  is  uncertain,  but  by  the 
seventh  century  they  were  in  pretty  general 
use,  since  the  venerable  Bede  at  that  time 
mentions  them  as  being  in  English  churches. 
Their  use  for  this  purpose  gradually 


f 


The  Bells  of  San  Gabriel,  Cal. 


Bells  of  San  Juan  Capistrano,  Cal. 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


56 


extended  throughout  Christian  coun¬ 
tries,  giving  rise  to  that  feature  of 
ecclesiastical  architecture,  the  bell 
tower.  Authorities  are  divided  as 
to  who  was  the  first  to  thus  intro¬ 
duce  them;  some  claiming  it  to  have 
been  Paulinus,  Bishop  of  Nola,  in 
Campania,  Italy,  A.D.  400;  others, 
Pope  Sabinianus,  A.D.  604. 

Dr.  Heinrich  Otte  described 
about  1856,  in  “Glockenkunde,” 
several  bells  made  many  centuries 
before,  undated,  having  the  form  of 


mdcl  oHLociVA  cveittoer 


an  inverted  goblet,  the  bottom  more  or 
less  curved,  and  the  two  here  shown, 
also  without  date  upon  them,  the  first 
having  its  loops  broken  off.  The  second 
begins  to  show  the  evolution  of  form  to¬ 
ward  the  more  modern,  and  these  he 
called  “sugarhatform.”  The  next  bell 
shown  below  is  that  of  the  Great  Bell  of 
Japan  and  said  to  rival  the  King  of  Bells 
at  Moscow.  The  one  beside  it  is  an 
English  bell  of  1759. 

The  bell  shown  below  this  is  very 


ancient,  without  date  upon  it,  and  so  far  as  we 
know  is  still  in  use  at  Manningford- Abbots, 
Wilts,  England.  The  next  two  at  bottom  of 
this  page  are  of  English  manufacture  of  the 
date  cast  upon  them. 

The  first  peal  of  which  there  is  any  reliable 
account  was  one  of  five  bells  which  was  pre¬ 
sented  to  King’s  College,  Cambridge,  England, 
by  Pope  Calixt  III,  in  1456.  From  that  period 
the  placing  of  several  bells  in  one  tower  became 
more  frequent ;  but  it  was  not  until  the  middle 


of  the  sixteenth  century  that  peal 
ringing  became  reduced  to  an  art. 

In  the  history  of  the  church 
of  the  middle  ages  the  bell  has 
much  to  do.  In  the  liturgies  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  is  given  a 
form  for  its  consecration,  directing 
the  priest  to  wash  the  bell  with 
water,  anoint  it  with  oil,  and 
mark  it  with  the  sign  of  the  cross 
in  the  name  of  the  Trinity.  It  was 
often  christened  with  great  pomp 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


0/ 


and  ceremony;  persons  of  high  rank  being  its  spon¬ 
sors,  and  a  bishop  or  archbishop  officiating;  one  instance 
of  which  was  the  naming,  in  the  year  968,  of  the 
great  bell  of  the  Lateran  church  by  Pope  John  XIII, 
for  himself,  John.  The  vSanctus  bell,  which,  as  now  used 
in  Catholic  churches,  is  a  small  bell  rung  by  one  of  the 
attendants  upon  the  priest  just  before  the  elevation  of 
the  Host  in  order  to  fix  the  attention  of  the  people,  was 
formerly  a  large  bell,  hung  in  an  outer  turret  of  the  church 
and  rung  at  the  words  “Sancte,  sancte,  sancte  Deus 
Sabaoth,”  at  the  sound  of  which  all  who  heard,  whether 
within  or  without  the  church,  were  enjoined  to  bow  in 
adoration.  The  Angelus,  or  Ave  Maria  bell,  was  rung 
at  fixed  hours,  at  the  sound  of  which  all  were  reminded  to 
offer  a  .supplication  to  the  Virgin,  and  which,  doubtless, 
also  served  to  publicly  mark  the  hours  of  beginning  and 
cessation  from  labor.  The  Vesper  bell  was  the  call  to 
evening  prayer,  while  the  Complin  bell  summoned  the 
people  to  the  last  religious  service  of  the  day.  The  Passing 
bell  was  so  named  as  being  tolled  when  any  one  was 
passing  from  life,  and  it  was  ordered  that  all  within  hearing 
should  pray  for  the  soul  of  the  dying.  From  this  custom 
is  doubtless  derived  that  of  tolling  the  church  bells  at 
funerals,  the  number  of  blows  struck  indicating  the  age 
of  the  deceased.  Excommunication  from  the  church  by 
“bell,  book  and  candle”  was  long  practiced,  the  bell 
being  rung  to  summon  an  audience,  the  service  read  from 
the  book  by  a  priest,  and,  when  the  anathema  was  pro¬ 
nounced,  the  candles  were  put  out,  as  emblematical  of 
the  extinction  of  hope  in  the  sinner’s  soul.  The  ringing 
of  the  Curfew  bell  was  of  civic  rather  than  ecclesiastic 
appointment,  the  custom  having  been  introduced  into 
England  by  William  the  Conqueror,  from  France.  It 
was  rung  at  eight  or  nine  o’clock  in  the  evening  when 
every  one  was  expected  to  extinguish  fire  and  lights  in 
his  house;  hence  it  was  called  the  couvre  feu  (cover  fire) 


1  iffilfflra 


At  the  left,  reading  down, 
we  show  the  Old  Mission  at 
San  Luis  Rey,  Cal. 

Then  the  Mission  Church 
at  Ventura,  Cal. 

Then  Santa  Ynez,  Cal. 

That  at  bottom  of  page  is 
the  Pala,  a  part  of  San  Luis 
Rey. 

That  at  the  right  is  the 
Bell  Gable  and  Bells  of  Santa 
Ynez  as  seen  from  the  grave¬ 
yard. 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


58 


Santo  Domingo  Church,  Guadalajara,  Mex. 


Cathedral  and  Saddle  Mt.,  Monterey,  Mex. 


bell,  from  which  comes  its  present  name; 
there  being  localities  in  England  where  the 
“curfew  tolls  the  knell  of  parting  day.’’ 

The  ringing  of  bells  during  eclipses  — 
which  were  supposed  to  be  occasioned  by 
evil  spirits  —  was  common,  and  is  referred 
to  by  Pliny  and  Juvenal.  So,  too,  it  was 
supposed  that  their  ringing  would  avert 
tempests,  drive  away  infections  and  abate 
the  lightnings,  since  the  evil  spirits  of  the 
air,  being  alarmed  thereby,  would  abandon 
their  malignant  purpose  and  flee  in  affright. 
This  belief  is  evidenced  by  one  of  the  most 


The  Cathedral  at  Mexico,  Mex. 

common  of  the  old  Latin  bell  inscriptions:  “ Pestem  fugo ,” 
I  drive  away  infections;  “ Fulgura  frango ,”  I  abate  the 
lightnings;  “Dissipo  ventos,"  I  dissipate  the  winds. 

Bells  were  used  at  a  very  early  period  to  strike  the 
divisions  of  time.  Lucian,  who  died  A.D.  180,  refers 
in  his  writings  to  an  instrument  so  constructed  that  the 
rise  of  water  within  it  would  cause  a  bell  to  strike  at 
certain  intervals.  By  the  eleventh  century  lock  bells 
were  in  general  use  in  the  monasteries  of  Europe. 

The  use  of  bells  to  sound  alarms  also  dates  from  an 
early  period,  they  being  thus  used  when  danger  from  fire, 
flood,  or  the  common  enemy  threatened;  and  it  is  men¬ 
tioned  that  they  were  sometimes  rung  to  frighten  off  the 
enemy  as  well  as  to  warn  of  his  approach. 


Church  and  Steps,  Cholula,  Mex. 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


59 


Macbeth,  when  he  had  shut  himself  in  the 
fortress  of  Dunsinane,  and  it  was  announced  to 
him  that  Birnam  Wood  was  moving  on  the  castle, 
cried  out,  in  his  desperation,  “  Ring  the  alarum 
bell !” 

The  immensely  large  bells  in  the  world  have 
always  been  objects  of  interest  and  wonder.  Their 
existence  is  probably  due  to  the  display  of  magnifi¬ 
cence  and  a  religious  enthusiasm  prevailing  at  the 
time  among  semi-civilized  nations  who  regarded  the 
provision  of  these  immense  bells  for  churches,  mon¬ 
asteries,  etc.,  as  being  meritorious  in  proportion  to 
their  size.  Both  of  these  considerations  tended  to 
the  production  of  the  Great  Bell  of  Moscow,  at  the 
casting  of  which  it  is  recorded  that  the  nobles 
from  all  parts  of  the  Empire  were  present,  vying 
with  each  other  in  the  value  of  the  votive  offerings, 
such  as  gold  and  silver  plate,  jewelry,  etc.,  which 
they  cast  into  the  furnace.  This  “King  of  Bells” 
stands  at  the  foot  of  the  tower  of  Ivan  Veliki  within 
the  Kremlin  at  Moscow,  not  far,  probably,  from  the 
spot  upon  which  it  was  cast  from  furnaces  erected 
specially  for  the  purpose.  It  is  placed  upon  a  circular 
wall  or  base  of  granite  of  about  five  feet  in  height  by 
four  feet  in  thickness,  in  the  front  of  which,  looking 
toward  the  Moskva  river,  is  placed  a  marble  slab 
bearing  the  following  inscription  in  Russ: 


Church  at  San  Luis  Potosi,  Mex. 


This  Bell 

was  cast  in  1733  by  order  of  the 
Imperial  Empress 
Anne,  Daughter  of  John. 

It  was  in  the  earth  103  years 
and 

by  the  will  of  the 
Imperial  Emperor 
Nicholas 

was  raised  upon  this  pedestal  in  1836,  August  4th. 


In  the  inscription  which  the  bell  itself  bears  it  is  stated 
that  the  first  great  bell  was  cast  in  1553  and  weighed  36,000 
lbs.;  that  during  the  reign  of  the  Tsar  Alexis  it  was  ruined 
by  fire,  and  in  1654,  with  additional  metal,  was  recast  into 
the  second  great  bell,  the  weight  of  which  was  288,000  lbs.; 
that  in  1706  this  bell  was  also  ruined  by  fire,  and  in  1733, 
with  still  further  additional  metal,  was  recast  by  order  of  the 
Empress  Anne  into  the  present  great  bell.  It  measures  22 
feet  8  inches  across  the  mouth,  19  feet  3  inches  in  height, 
and  its  thickness  at  the  point  where  the  clapper  would  strike 
is  23  inches.  Its  estimated  weight  is  from  400,000  to  440,000 
lbs.  A  nearly  triangular-shaped  piece  of  about  6  feet  in 
height  by  7  feet  at  the  base,  the  estimated  weight  of  which 
is  1 1  tons,  is  broken  out  of  its  side  at  the  rim  and  stands 
upon  the  ground  just  below  the  opening  thus  formed.  Be¬ 
sides  this  fracture  there  are  eight  cracks,  distributed  around 
Santa  Guadalupe  church,  San  Luis  Potosi,  Mex.  the  remaining  portion  of  the  rim  at  about  equal  distances. 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


60 


That  the  bell  never  was  rung  —  a 
question  which  has  caused  some  discus¬ 
sion  —  is  evident  from  the  inscription 
upon  its  base;  in  addition  to  which  it 
may  be  stated  that  our  Mr.  G.  R. 
Meneely,  who  examined  it  in  1871. 
observed  that  although  the  ponderous 
clapper  by  which  it  was  intended  to  have 
been  struck  lay  beneath  it,  yet  it  bore  no 
clapper  marks.  There  are  several  religious 
figures  cast  upon  its  outer  surface,  among 
which  is  that  of  the  Saviour,  the  Holy 
Virgin,  and  the  Evangelists,  surrounded 
by  cherubims.  It  also  bears  a  representa¬ 
tion  of  the  Tsar  Alexis  and  the  Empress 
Anne.  As  a  casting ,  the  great  bell  is  a 
specimen  of  excellent  workmanship,  the 
numerous  bas-relief  figures  upon  its  outer 
surface,  together  with  its  ornamentation 
and  inscriptions,  being  brought  out  clear 
and  distinct,  while  the  section  shown  by 
the  fracture  exhibits  homogeneousness  of 
composition  and  solidity  of  structure. 


Judging  from  the  mode  of  manufacture  now  employed 
in  the  extensive  and  celebrated  Moscow  Bell  Foundry, 
it  is  probable  that  no  improvements  in  the  art  of  bell¬ 
making  have  been  introduced  in  Russia  since  the  casting 
of  the  great  bell  —  a  remark  that  will  apply,  too,  for  a 
period  of  two  centuries  past,  to  any  country  in  Europe. 

In  addition  to  the  “King  of  Bells”  just  described, 

Russia  contains  others  of  greater  immensity  than  can 
be  found  elsewhere  in  the  world,  among  which  may  be 
mentioned  that  upon  the  Troitsa  Monastery,  cele¬ 
brated  both  for  the  depth  and  richness  of  its  tone,  and 
also  the  “Assumption”  bell,  in  Moscow,  the  diameter 
of  which  is  eighteen  feet,  and  its  estimated  weight 
220,000  lbs.  It  is  suspended  above  the  chapel  of  St. 

Nicholas,  in  the  Kremlin,  but  as  it  is  reached  by  a  passage  leading  from  the  tower  of  Ivan  (at 
the  foot  of  which  is  the  “great  bell”)  it  is  usually  spoken  of  by  travelers  as  being  one  of  the  thirty 
or  forty  bells  suspended  in  the  tower.  It  was  cast  in  1817  from  the  metal  of  a  previous  bell 
destroyed  in  the  conflagration  of  1812. 

At  Novgorod  there  is  a  bell  of  about  70,000  lbs.  weight,  while  there  are  a  number  of  others  in 
different  parts  of  the  country  weighing  from  30,000  to  50,000  lbs. 

Among  other  bells  noticeable  for  their  size  might  be  mentioned  that  of  Erfurt,  in  Germany, 
weighing  30,000  lbs.,  which  was  cast  in  1497  and  was  long  distinguished  as  being  not  only  the  largest 
but  the  best  in  Europe.  In  Vienna  and  Olmutz  are  bells  of  40,000  lbs.  each,  cast  in  the  last  century; 
while  that  of  Notre  Dame  Cathedral  at  Paris,  cast  in  1680,  weighs  30,000  lbs. 

The  bell  of  St.  Peter’s  at  Rome  weighs  17,000  lbs.;  that  of  St.  Paul’s,  London,  11,600  lbs.; 


WATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.Y. 


61 


that  in  York  Minster  —  called  Great  Peter  of  York  —  27,000  lbs. ;  that  of  Notre  Dame,  Montreal  — 
the  heaviest  in  America  —  29,400  lbs.;  the  Parliament  House  Bell,  in  London,  34,490  lbs.  Great 
Tom,  of  Lincoln,  weighing  10,000  lbs.,  cast  in  1680,  was  long  celebrated  as  the  finest  bell  in  England, 
but  becoming  cracked  was  recast  in  1834.  The  celebrated  Great  Tom,  of  Oxford,  which  hangs  in 
the  tower  of  Christ  Church,  and  strikes  one  hundred  and  one  times  every  evening  at  nine  o’clock, 
weighs  17,000  lbs.,  and  was  cast  in  1680. 

The  Chinese  are  celebrated  for  their  bells  and  gongs,  the  latter  article  being  made  among  no 
other  people.  Their  bells  are  fine  specimens  of  casting,  but,  being  nearly  cylindrical  in  shape  and  of 
equal  thickness  throughout,  their  tone  is  panny  and  discordant  like  that  of  their  gongs.  They  do  not 

swing  their  bells  nor  provide  them  with  a  dapper,  but  strike 
them  upon  the  outside  with  a  wooden  mallet.  They,  as  well 
as  the  Russians,  have  produced  some  bells  of  colossal  size, 
among  which  might  be  mentioned  one  at  Pekin  weighing  120,000 
lbs.,  being  12^  feet  high  by  14^  feet  in  diameter. 

Nearly  half  a  century  ago  we  received  a  Chinese  bell  (see 
illustration)  weighing  about  1,000  lbs.,  which  was  cast,  according 
to  one  of  the  inscriptions  upon  it  (interpreted  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Wentworth),  in  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Chunchi,  in  the  year 
1651,  the  5th  month  and  the  16th  day.  It  is  a  very  fine  casting, 
the  inscriptions  and  ornamentation  with  which  it  is  covered 
being  brought  out  sharp  and  distinct,  while  a  double  dragon 
which  is  cast  upon  its  top  and  by  which  it  was  suspended,  is  no 
less  excellent  in  point  of  workmanship  than  it  is  hideous  in 
design. 

The  metal  of  which  it  is  composed  appears  to  be  a  mixture 
of  copper,  tin  and  zinc,  while  its  sound  is  no  better  than  that  of 
an  iron  kettle.  The  superior  character  of  their  castings  would 
justify  the  inference  that  the  tone  of  Chinese  bells  is  not  the 
result  of  accident,  nor  would  it  be  inconsistent  with  the  character 
of  this  strange  people  to  suppose  that  they  make  their  bells  as 
discordant  as  possible  in  order  to  inspire  awe  and  terror. 

The  old  “Liberty  Bell,”  which,  on  the 
4th  of  July,  1776,  announced  that  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  made,  de¬ 
serves  every  patriotic  American’s  notice.  It 
weighs  somewhat  over  1,500  pounds  and  was 
imported  from  England  in  1752,  but  broke 
upon  its  first  trial.  It  was  soon  after  recast 
in  Philadelphia  by  Pass  &  Stow,  and  was 
placed  upon  the  hall  in  which  the  memorable 
Congress  of  1776  assembled.  During  the 
occupation  of  Philadelphia  by  the  British, 
in  1777,  it  was  removed  to  Lancaster,  after 
which  it  was  returned  again  to  its  place  and 
was  used  as  a  State  House  bell  until  1828. 

After  being  removed  it  was  rung  only  upon 
extraordinary  occasions,  the  last  time  of  its 
ringing  being  in  honor  of  the  visit  of  Henry 
Clay  to  Philadelphia.  It  was  next  tolled  J  . 

,  This  old  Spanish  bell  is  preserved  as  a  relic  and  we  shall  be 

ill  memory  of  Chief  Justice  John  Marshall,  pleased  to  have  anyone  finding  its  location  tell  us  of  it. 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


62 


of  Virginia,  when  it  broke.  It  was  then 
placed  upon  exhibition  in  the  old  Independ¬ 
ence  Hall  with  other  relics  of  Revolutionary 
times,  where  it  now  remains.  The  following 
inscription,  taken  from  Leviticus  xxv.  10, 
surrounds  it  near  the  top:  “Proclaim  liberty 
throughout  all  the  land  unto  all  the  inhab¬ 
itants  thereof.’’ 


Independence  Hall,  Philadelphia, 
where  the  Old  Liberty  Bell  is  preserved. 


INSCRIPTIONS  UPON  BELLS 

could  fill  a  volume  with  copies  of  inscriptions  as  cast  upon  ancient  European  bells, 
but  for  lack  of  space  we  must  be  content  with  those  here  presented.  They  afford  a 
subject  of  curious  interest  and  are,  alternately,  beautiful,  quaint,  whimsical  and  non¬ 
sensical.  Many  bells  were  cast  as  memorials  of  the  events  which  are  recounted  in 
their  inscriptions  and  so  serve  as  historic  records  of  undoubted  authenticity.  Prior 
to  the  17th  century  the  inscriptions  upon  English  bells  were  almost  exclusively  religious  epigraphs 
in  Latin ;  the  two  most  frequently  used  were : 

“GLORIA  IN  EXCELSIS  DEO”  “AVE  MARIA  GRATIA  PLENA  DOMINUS  TECUM” 

and  this  is  still  much  used. 


Another,  hundreds  of  years  old,  and  fragments  of  which 
are  still  frequently  used,  was: 

*  “Laudo  Deum  verum,  plebum  voco,  conjugo  clerum, 
Defunctus  ploro,  pestem  fugo,  festa  decoro. 

Funera  plango,  fulgura  frango,  Sabata  pango, 

Excito  lentos,  dissipo  ventos,  paco  cruentos.” 

Another,  used  from  earliest  time  of  bell-founding  to  the 
present  day: 

“I  to  the  church  the  living  call 
And  to  the  grave  do  summon  all.” 


*1  praise  the  true  God;  I  call  the  people;  I  assemble  the  clergy; 

I  lament  the  dead;  I  drive  away  infections;  I  grace  the  festival. 
I  mourn  at  the  burial;  I  abate  the  lightning;  I  announce  the 
Sabbath ; 

I  arouse  the  indolent;  I  dissipate  the  winds;  I  appease  the  re¬ 
vengeful. 


Upon  a  bell  at  Staffordshire,  England,  cast  1604: 

“Be  it  known  to  all  that  doth  me  see 
That  Newcombe  of  Leicester  made  me.” 

LIpon  one  of  later  date  at  Northamptonshire: 

“I  to  the  church  the  living  call 
And  to  the  grave  do  summonds  all. 

Russell  of  Watten  made  me 
In  seventeen  hundred  and  forty-three.” 

Another  at  Hampshire,  cast  1695: 

“Samuel  Knight  made  this  ring 
In  Binstead  steeple  for  to  ding.” 

The  above  was  a  favorite  advertising  couplet  for  several 
founders  of  about  that  period,  each  one  putting  in  his  own 
name. 


YVATERVLIET,  WEST  TROY,  N.  Y. 


The  following  inscriptions,  selected  at  large,  are  upon  bells 
at  the  various  places  named. 

A  bell  at  Derbyshire,  cast  1622: 

“I  sweetly  tolling  men  do  call 
To  taste  on  meats  that  feeds  the  soul.” 

An  old  bell  in  Cornwall,  recast  in  1829: 

“Jesus  fulfill  with  thy  good  grace 
All  that  we  beckon  to  this  place.” 

One  in  Wiltshire,  cast  1628: 

“Call  a  soleme  assemblie  —  gather  the  people.” 

Another,  cast  1582: 

“Be  mec  and  loly  to  heare  the  word  of  God.” 

One  in  Hampshire,  cast  1600: 

“God  be  our  guyd.” 

One  in  Nottinghamshire,  cast  1603: 

“Jesus  be  our  spede.” 

Another  in  Wiltshire,  cast  1585: 

“O  man  be  meeke  and  lyve  in  rest.” 

One  in  Yorkshire,  cast  1656: 

“When  I  do  ring  Gods  prayses  sing. 

When  1  do  toule  pray  heart  and  soule.” 

One  (a  fire  bell)  in  Dorsetshire,  cast  1652: 

“Lord  quench  this  furious  flame. 

Arise,  run,  help,  put  out  the  same.” 

Another  in  Wiltshire,  cast  1619: 

“Be  strong  in  faythe,  prayes  God  well 
Frances  Countes  Hertford’s  bell.” 

One  in  Warwickshire,  cast  1675: 

“I  ring  at  six  to  let  men  know 
When  to  and  from  their  worke  to  go.” 

One  in  Somersetshire,  cast  1700: 

“All  you  of  Bathe  that  heare  mee  sound 
Thank  Lady  Hopton’s  hundred  pound.” 

One  in  Northamptonshire,  cast  1601: 

“Thomas  Morgan  Esquier  gave  me 
To  the  church  of  Heford  frank  and  free.” 


The  FORMS  of  Inscriptions  are  many  and  vary  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  local  conditions  and  preference  of  purchasers. 
We  present  a  few  of  the  most  common  forms,  using  fictitious 
names  and  places. 

“SANCTA  MARIA,  ORA  PRO  NOBIS” 


"Enter  into  his  gates  with  thanksgiving,  and  into  his  courts 
with  praise.” 


January,  1911. 


“THIS  BELL  WAS  ERECTED  IN 
ST.  DANIEL’S  CHURCH, 


IN  DECEMBER,  A.D.  1910, 

TO  THE  GREATER  GLORY  OF  GOD. 
“O  COME  LET  US  WORSHIP.” 


HOLY  TRINITY 

EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH, 
ORGANIZED  FEB.  1903, 

THIS  BELL  PLACED  FEB.  1911. 
“GLORY  TO  GOD  IN  THE  HIGHEST.” 


MRS.  JANE  MARTIN  HAS 
ERECTED  THIS  BELL  IN  MEMORY  OF 
HER  DECEASED  HUSBAND 
JOHN  HENRY  MARTIN, 

BORN  JAN.  10,  1843, 

DIED  NOV.  21,  1904. 


CLEARY  NORW.  LUTHERAN  CHURCH, 


H.  O.  HEFFNER,  PASTOR, 
A.D.  1910. 


PRESENTED  TO 

THE  FIRST  PRESBYT.  CHURCH, 


IN  LOVING  MEMORY  OF 
JOHN  O.  AND  MARY  E.  HOWARD, 
BY  THEIR  CHILDREN, 

A.D.  1910. 


MARGARET  KENNEDY  DONAVIT 
A.D.  1863. 

JULIA,  ALBERTUS,  ROBERTUS  BROWNE, 
LUDOVICA,  HELENA.  ADRIANUS  DALTON 
RESTAUVERUNT 
A.D.  1910. 


IN  MEMORY  OF 
thomas  McDonald 

AND 

JACOB  G.  SILBERMANN. 

+ 

IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION  CHURCH, 
OLYMPIA,  OKLA. 

A.D.  1909. 


TO  THE  HOLY  ANGELS  CHURCH. 


BY  THE  FENNIMORE  FAMILY, 
A.D.  1910. 


T 

SANCTA  TRINITAS,  UNUS  DEUS, 
MISERERE  NOBIS. 

SPES  NOSTRA,  SALUS  NOSTRA, 
HONOR  NOSTER. 

1906. 


+ 

FORTITUDE  DEI. 

AVE,  GRATIA  PLENA:  DOMINUS  TECUM, 
BENEDICTA  TU  IN  MULIERIBUS. 
LUC.  I,  29. 

SANCTE  GABRIEL,  ORA  PRO  NOBIS. 
1906. 


63 


MENEELY  &  COMPANY 


64 


When  a  Chime  of  Bells  is  the  gift  of  some  one  person  or 
family,  it  is  customary  to  confine  the  inscription  to  the 
Tenor  Bell.  If  anything  is  inscribed  on  the  remaining  bells, 
it  is  generally  a  continuation  of  that  on  the  largest  bell, 
beginning  with  a  passage  of  Scripture,  or  a  series  of  virtues, 
or  a  list  of  names,  as  indicated  in  these  few  examples. 

On  the  bells  of  the  Chime  placed  in  St.  James’  Episcopal 
Church,  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Mich.,  on  one  side 

“GLORY  TO  GOI)  IN  THE  HIGHEST” 
and  on  the  other  side  the  donor’s  name  and  year  date. 


On  the  Tenor  Bell  of  the  Chime  in  Christ  Cathedral, 
Salina,  Kansas: 

THESE  BELLS  ARE  GIVEN  TO 
CHRIST  CATHEDRAL,  SALINA,  KANSAS. 

IN  LOVING  MEMORY  OF 
ARTHUR  M.  CLAFLIN, 

BORN  JANUARY  23,  1836. 

DIED  NOVEMBER  6,  1904. 

The  one  hundred  and  fiftieth  Psalm,  suitably  divided,  is 
inscribed  on  the  bells,  the  division  fitting  well  to  eleven  bells. 


On  the  Tenor  Bell  of  the  Chime  in  All  Saints’  Church, 
Great  Neck,  N.Y.: 

“I  hang  in  a  lofty  place  and 
I  call  you  to  love  and  praise 
Him  who  hath  given  you  life  and 
the  beauty  of  wondrous  days. 

Mine  is  the  voice  of  His  words  that 
calls  you  from  toil  and  stress. 

I  want  you  to  be  happy,  and  know 
that  God  is  fain  to  bless.” 


On  the  Tenor  Bell  of  the  Chime  in  Christ  Church,  Bing¬ 
hamton,  N.Y.: 

IN  MEMORY  OF 
THE  JARVIS  FAMILY 
THIS  CHIME  OF  ELEVEN  BELLS 
PRESENTED  BY 


TO  CHRIST  CHURCH, 
BINGHAMTON,  N.Y. 
1903 


On  the  Tenor  Bell  of  the  Chime  in  St.  Peter’s  Cathedral, 
Erie,  Pa.: 

A1)  GLORIAM  DEI  ET  IN  IIONOREM  SANCTI 
PETRI,  ME  FIERI  FECIT  REDMUS  JOAN¬ 
NES  E.  FITZMAURICE,  LEONE  XIII 
FELICITER  REGNANTE. 


The  late  Philip  Corbin  presented  a  Chime  of  Fourteen  Bells 
to  the  South  Congregational  Church,  New  Britain,  Conn., 
and  on  the  Tenor  Bell  was  inscribed  the  presentation  to  the 
church  “In  Recognition  and  Praise  of  the  Goodness  of  God” 
elaborated  under  the  General  Theme  “The  Goodness  of 
God,”  and  the  General  Mood:  “Proclamation  and  Praise.” 

Each  bell  is  inscribed  with  a  short  verse  of  Scripture  carry¬ 
ing  out  the  idea  of  the  Theme  and  Mood  stated  on  the  large 
bell. 


On  the  original  chime  of  nine  bells  furnished  by  this 
foundry  in  1868  to  Cornell  LTniversity  were  inscribed  the  well- 
known  lines  from  Tennyson’s  “In  Memoriam,”  cvi,  begin¬ 
ning  with 

“Ring  out  the  old,  ring  in  the  new; 

Ring  out  the  false,  ring  in  the  true.” 

A  year  later  Mrs.  Mary  A.  White  presented  the  great  Clock 
Bell,  which  bore  the  presentation  inscription  and  the  fol¬ 
lowing  lines,  the  quatrain  being  especially  composed  for  it 
by  James  Russell  Lowell: 


On  each  of  the  remaining  bells  a  patron  saint’s  name  and 
the  words 


ORA  PRO  NOBIS. 


On  the  Tenor  Bell  of  the  Chime  in  Guardian  Angels’ 
Church,  Manistee,  Mich.: 

THIS  CHIME  OF  BELLS  WAS  DONATED  TO 
GUARDIAN  ANGELS’  CHURCH,  MANISTEE,  MICH., 
BY  CARRIE  FILER, 

SEPT.  20,  1909,  INSTALLED  APRIL,  1910. 

On  the  reverse  side  is 

“CAROLINE” 


Each  of  the  remaining  bells  a  name  in  like  manner,  thus: 


THOMAS, 

MARY, 

ALPHONSUS 

JAMES, 


PIUS, 

GERTRUDE, 
CAECILI  A, 
ANNA. 


HENRY  JOSEPH, 

PHILOMENA, 

ALOYSIUS, 


“To  tell  of  thy  loving-kindness  early  in  the  morning 
And  of  thy  truth  in  the  night-season.” 

“Glory  to  God  in  the  highest. 

And  on  earth  peace,  good-will  toward  men.” 

“I  call  as  fly  the  irrevocable  hours, 

Futile  as  air  or  strong  as  fate  to  make 
Your  lives  of  sand  or  granite;  awful  powers, 

Even  as  men  choose,  they  either  give  or  take.” 


In  1908  the  bells  were  taken  to  our  foundry,  the  eight 
smaller  ones  recast  and  incorporated  into  twelve  additional 
bells,  increasing  the  set  to  fourteen  bells,  using  the  great 
Clock  Bell  as  the  Tenor  of  the  new  chime,  the  respective  lines 
inscribed  on  the  same  number  of  new  bells,  the  four  added 
bells  bearing  the  following  inscription: 


A  Roman  cross  above  each  name. 


On  the  Tenor  Bell  of  the  Chime  in  Christ  Church, 
Petrolia,  Ontario: 

THIS  CHIME  OF  BELLS 
WAS  PRESENTED  TO 
CHRIST  CHURCH,  PETROLIA, 

IN  LOVING  MEMORY  OF 
CHARLOTTE  ELEANOR  THOMPSON 
BY  HER  HUSBAND, 

JACOB  LEWIS  ENGLEHART, 

DIED,  31st  DECEMBER,  1908. 

On  the  reverse  side  the  word  “CHARITY,”  the  remaining 
bells  bearing  these  words  in  the  order  given: 

FAITH,  HOPE,  LOVE. 

JOY,  PEACE,  LONG  SUFFERING, 

GENTLENESS,  GOODNESS,  MEEKNESS, 

TEMPERANCE. 


THE  HUMAN  MIND 
On  earth  there  is  nothing  great  but  Man 
In  Man  there  is  nothing  great  but  Mind. 

KNOWLEDGE 

Happy  is  the  man  that  findeth  Wisdom 
And  the  man  that  getteth  Understanding. 

BEAUTY 

A  thing  of  Beauty  is  a  Joy  forever. 
VIRTUE 

Whatsoever  things  are 
True,  Honest,  Just,  Pure,  Lovely, 
of  Good  Report; 

If  there  be  any  Virtue,  and  Praise, 
think  on  these  things. 


